BELLEVUE, Wash. — Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke was named interim president of Bellevue College on Thursday.
Locke’s duties will begin June 15.
Locke will replace Jerry Weber, who resigned in March after a campus mural about Japanese incarceration during World War II was altered, as reported by The Seattle Times.
“Working closely with faculty, staff, students, and the community, we must focus on bringing healing to the campus and continuing to provide enriching education despite this challenging environment of COVID-19 and financial crisis,” Locke said in a statement.
Locke served as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Barack Obama and later as the U.S. Ambassador to China.
A two-term governor in Washington, Locke was the first Chinese American elected governor in the U.S. and the first Asian American governor on the mainland.
Rich Fukutaki, chair of the Bellevue College Board of Trustees, said Locke brings a “fresh perspective” to student success and highlighted Locke’s experience building partnerships with the community.
“This is a unique and challenging time for our community and our college,” Fukutaki said in a statement. “The Board believes Gary Locke is the leader to work with the internal constituencies on campus and lay the foundation for necessary growth.”