Belmont College Board of Trustees Announces Retirement of President Dr. Paul F. Gasparro

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, OH (September 24, 2026)— The Belmont College Board of Trustees has accepted the intent of President Dr. Paul F. Gasparro to retire from his position as the College’s eighth president. The announcement comes after their September 24, 2026 Board meeting.

Dr. Gasparro has served as president of Belmont College since August 14, 2014, providing more than a decade of leadership to the College and the communities it serves.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as president of Belmont College and to work alongside such dedicated faculty, staff, trustees, and community partners,” said Dr. Gasparro. “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together and, most importantly, of the opportunities we have provided to our students. Belmont College has a special place in my heart, and I am grateful to have been part of its continued growth and success.”

Before joining Belmont College, Dr. Gasparro served at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, where he held several leadership positions, including District Vice President, Eastern Campus President/College Vice President and District Vice President for Special Initiatives.

Prior to his service at Cuyahoga Community College, Dr. Gasparro held a number of academic and administrative leadership positions at community colleges across the country. His career included serving as a Department Chair at Tyler Junior College in Texas; Division Dean at Chattanooga State Community College in Tennessee; Vice President of Instruction at Chattahoochee Technical College in Georgia; and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Seminole State College in Oklahoma.

Dr. Gasparro also brings a distinguished military career to his more than five decades of professional service. From January 1971 through July 1994, he served in the United States Air Force in a variety of leadership positions before retiring from active duty as an officer and beginning his career in community college education.

His academic preparation includes a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering technology from Colorado Technical College (University) in Colorado Springs, Colorado; a master’s degree in computer resource management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri; and a doctorate in leadership and college administration from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Throughout both his military and higher education careers, Dr. Gasparro has remained committed to teaching, serving as both a full- and part-time faculty member at various colleges through the graduate level.

Since becoming Belmont College’s eighth president, Dr. Gasparro has provided leadership during a period of continued growth and change in higher education and the regional workforce. His career has been defined by a commitment to community college education, and the students, employers, and communities Belmont College serves.

“Dr. Gasparro has dedicated his career to serving students, communities and institutions of higher education, and Belmont College has benefited tremendously from his leadership,” said Mrs. Elizabeth Gates, Chairwomen of the Belmont College Board of Trustees. “His commitment to student success, workforce development and the mission of community colleges has made a lasting impact on Belmont College. We are grateful for his many years of service and leadership.”

The Belmont College Board of Trustees will provide additional information regarding the transition in presidential leadership at a later date.

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