BISMARCK, N.D. – The State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) appointed Dr. Carmen Simone as interim president of Lake Region State College (LRSC) beginning J
uly 1, 2025, after current President Doug Darling retires at the end of June.
“I join the entire Lake Region campus and community in welcoming Dr. Simone in her new role. We are happy to keep her leadership within the North Dakota University System and look forward to her knowledge and vision at Lake Region,” Mihalick said. “Dr. Simone has an extensive history of increasing administrative and leadership responsibilities in higher education, and specifically among two-year institutions. As she has North Dakota roots and we are happy she has agreed to serve in a new capacity for our higher education system.”
Simone has served as Dean and Chief Executive Officer at Dakota College at Bottineau since August 2022. Simone has an extensive administrative background and has served more than 30 years in higher education, and specifically she has leadership experience at two-year colleges. Prior to serving at Dakota College at Bottineau, she served as president of Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Neb. Simone earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Dakota and her doctorate from Colorado State University, both degrees in chemistry.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to have been chosen to join LRSC in the interim president role and I’d like to thank President Darling for his many years of leadership and appreciate the opportunity and the trust the State Board of Higher Education has placed in me. I’m looking forward to working with the entire LRSC community as we move into the future together,” said Simone.
Earlier in her career, Simone served as vice-president and dean of the University of South Dakota Community College for Sioux Falls (Sioux Falls, S.D.), president of Trinidad State Junior College (Trinidad and Alamosa, Col.), provost and vice-president of academic affairs at Lewis-Clark State College (Lewiston, Idaho), and vice-president of academic affairs at Casper College (Casper, Wyo.), where she also taught chemistry for more than ten years.
Welcome to LRSC, Dr. Simone!
About Lake Region State College
Established in 1941, Lake Region State College is a comprehensive community college within the North Dakota University System. Lake Region State College offers the first two years of a bachelor’s degree (transfer) and career and technical education programs that lead to fast entry into the workforce.
About NDUS
The North Dakota University System is a unified system of higher education governed by the
State Board of Higher Education. Organized in 1990, the system includes two research universities, four regional universities and five community colleges. The mission of the State Board of Higher Education and the Chancellor of the North Dakota University System is to enhance the quality of life, and the social and economic vitality of all served by its public colleges and universities.