​Love is what drives Barbara Anderson. She has empathy for students, a passion for Communication Studies, and respect for her colleagues. Barbara bleeds Brahma scarlet! She began her journey at Pierce College, teaching Communication Studies as a part-time instructor in 1999, and she became a full-time tenure track in 2001. She is a Golden Apple Award Winner and Professor of the Year.  

Barbara has had various faculty roles at Pierce College, serving as department chair, Student Learning outcomes lead faculty, Honors Program Director, Senator, Senate president, and Pierce College council. She has served on many shared governance committees. She participated in the Administrator Leadership Program, started by Rocky Young, and served students as an Academic Affairs Dean for seven years. As an Academic Affairs Dean, she always saw students as her guiding light in her faculty roles. She believed that her primary responsibility was to help students and faculty get to “yes!” “Yes,” to success, “yes” to innovation, and “yes” to excellence.

In her current role as Senate President, she wants to support the amazing work of faculty that strengthens diversity, equity, and inclusion at Pierce College. She’s grateful that the Academic Senate passed the Resolution Against Systemic Racism. That resolution had twenty-one resolves! At every consultation with Senior Staff, following up on those anti-racism resolves is a standing agenda item. In our various roles on campus, every member of our campus community must keep diversity, equity, and inclusion as “standing agenda items” in our hearts and in our work.