As former chancellor of Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Kansas City, Missouri, Mark James oversaw strategic planning, budget management, and workforce and academic development programs. Mark James was appointed chancellor of Metropolitan Community College in 2010 and served in this capacity for seven years until his retirement. His successes in that time included the revitalization of the MCC Foundation through the recruitment of committed business leaders from the Kansas City region.
For more than 40 years, the MCC Foundation has endeavored to transform people’s lives by making education at MCC more accessible and enhancing the college experience. The foundation offers more than 160 scholarships and academic support funds. Among these, the Bloch Scholars program, provided through a partnership with the H&R Block Foundation and MCC-Penn Valley, gives students the opportunity to earn an associate degree from MCC-Penn Valley and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
The Bloch Scholarship is available to citizens and United States residents who demonstrate financial need and are eligible for a Pell Grant. Individuals must be graduating from high school, have a GED, or be a current student at MCC with a 2.5 GPA or above and a maximum of 30 credit hours.