The News Site of Fresno City College

The Rampage Online
The News Site of Fresno City College

The Rampage Online
The News Site of Fresno City College

The Rampage Online
Categories:

The Hunt is Over: Denise Whisenhunt Selected as Fresno City College President

State Center Community College District Officially Elects Denise Whisenhunt for Fresno City College President
Story By: Christianna Schiotis and Logan Payne
May 12, 2025
Photo by: Christianna Schiotis
Denise Whisenhunt looks out into the crowd of people cheering for her new position as Fresno City College’s president on May 6, 2025 at the State Center Community College District Board of Trustees meeting. Whisenhunt got all board members approval and will begin her term on July 21.

Denise Whisenhunt was officially announced as Fresno City College’s president after a unanimous vote from the State Center Community College District Board of Trustees on May 6.

“I’m really honored and excited about the proposition of serving as the president of the oldest community college in the state and second in the country,” Whisenhunt said at the May 6 board of trustees meeting. 

Whisenhunt’s term will be July 21, 2025 to June 30, 2028, according to SCCCD Chancellor Carole Goldsmith. 

“I’m ready to roll my sleeves up and do the good work,” Whisenhunt said. 

Goldsmith strongly urged the trustees at the meeting to vote in approval for Whisenhunt. 

“I am confident she will lead Fresno City College with clarity, compassion and purpose,” Goldsmith said. 

Whisenhunt feels that a commitment to access and equity is embedded into the work that she will be doing.

“It’s really about economic mobility for all of us, the American dream is beget for all of us,” Whisenhunt said.

Her main short-term goal is to listen to students, classified professionals, administration and faculty.

“I’m going to listen. So before I act, I don’t want to react. I want to make sure that I’m listening and I’m responsive to the needs of the campus community,” Whisenhunt said. “I think it’s important to work with the Associated Student Government, with that being the formal student voice.”

Goldsmith said that Whisenhunt stood out as a candidate because she is student oriented. 

“I am very comfortable hanging out in the quad talking to students and listening to students,” Whisenhunt said.

The position is personal for Whisenhunt. 

“Three of my siblings went to Fresno City College and then went on to historically black colleges and universities. It’s like my family community college,” Whisenhunt said. 

Whisenhunt said she is proud of her Fresno roots, and is excited to be back in her hometown. She previously was the president of Grossmont College since 2021, according to the SCCCD website. 

According to Goldsmith, Whisenhunt’s annual salary will be $286,397 with a $400 monthly vehicle allowance.

Story continues below advertisement
View Story Comments
Print this Story
More to Discover
More in News
Miguel Barrita listens to the previous ASG President Nassiba Agbere during their weekly meeting in the Senate Chambers on March 25, 2025.
Meet Miguel Barrita: The New ASG President
Activist Dolores Huerta discusses passive resistance by encouraging the crowd to boycott Target, for their lack of advocacy for people of color.
An Afternoon with Dolores Huerta: Inspiring Change at Fresno City College
Saloome Muhammad, a protester, speaks to the crowd of protesters on May 1, 2025.
Hundreds Rally in Fresno on May Day for Labor Rights and Immigrant Justice
Sam the Ram, Fresno City College's mascot, poses in the middle of the graduation fair on April 30 next to Miguel Barrita, a FCC student majoring in anthropology. Students who attended this event were able to purchase cap and gowns and pick up cords for the different programs.
Fresno City College Graduation Guide
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and CEO of the California High Speed Rail Authority Ian Choudri shake hands and share a laugh after the panel discussion on the California high-speed rail ends on April 22, 2025 in the Old Administration Building auditorium.
The Chase for High-Speed Rail in California and What Fresno Stands to Gain
Denise Whisenhunt answering a set list of questions at a public forum at Fresno City College Old Administration Building's stage on March 17, 2025. Whisenhunt is the official finalist for the president position at FCC as of April 8, 2025.
New Fresno City College President
About the Contributors
Christianna Schiotis
Christianna Schiotis, Editor-in-Chief
Christianna Schiotis is a 19-year-old who loves the color pink, dinosaurs, and Randy Marsh; paired with that she has childish humor and enjoys a good joke. She graduated in 2023 from Sanger High School with plenty of merit and awards.  This is Schiotis’s fourth semester with the Rampage; this semester she is fulfilling the Editor in Chief role. Her position as the Editor in Chief is listening to the Rampage’s audience and providing them with meaningful stories.   In her time at the Rampage, she has helped win numerous awards. She won two fourth place awards in the on the spot competitions: front page layout and copy editing test. The front page layout consisted of designing a front page from scratch and the copy editing was a 100 question AP style quiz that had to be done in under 30 minutes. She also helped win two first place plaques: one in social media and the other for an on site video competition. Both were a collaborative effort with other staff members.  Last semester she redesigned the website and also designed all the prints editions. Schiotis took journalism classes for two of her high school years. In her first year, she was the Photo Editor. Also in her first year, she was in charge of her school’s Arts and Literary magazine, which got tenth in the nation at NSPA’s journalism conference. For her Senior year, she was her high school’s newspaper’s Editor in Chief, where she led a group of 23 students. During her time, she made her mark and her story got third in the nation. She will forever brag about it. She is also very thankful for the experience and the amazing staff she had. Schiotis also has her own pets who she spoils- her cats Mocha and Haly and puppy Azura. She loves to spend time with her best friend of ten years and her boyfriend of five years. She grew up in Fresno with her three siblings, all younger than her. She is going to do something in the journalism field, but doesn’t know what yet.  
Logan Payne
Logan Payne, Social Media Editor
Logan Payne returns this semester as the Social Media Editor. He will step away from writing articles and embrace instead the more visual aspects of journalism. You’ll see him most often on the Rampage instagram, reporting on the new facilities and events that occur on campus. He will also help the incoming reporters with their stories and visual accompaniments. Before joining The Rampage, Logan was involved with the Roosevelt Theater Company for four years where he wrote, directed, acted, and worked backstage for many productions. He’s also a certified linguist who has always loved to read and write stories. Logan has grown very familiar with the cutting room; hours slip away when he video edits due to his perpetual perfectionism. He is well-versed in the art of film and knows that every frame shown and every note heard makes a key difference in the bigger picture. His Youtube channel is where he promotes most of his personal projects. This isn’t his first time in a newsroom either; he’s put together many news packages for Roosevelt High, CART, and The Rampage over the years and is more than comfortable with conducting an interview or being the handyman on set. Logan can’t work on anything without being meticulous, and this eye for detail makes him a wonderful asset to the team. This is Logan’s fourth semester as a journalism major here at Fresno City College, and he likes to spend his time on campus productively. When he’s not in class, he’s in the library catching up on schoolwork or building a narrative with his team in The Rampage newsroom.