The podcast Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders from the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, event and meeting venue Modern Moments and the Gilbert Independent/yourvalley.net explores the human journey of leaders. There are stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned. This partial transcript of the most recent podcast with CJ Wurster has been edited for brevity and clarity.
CJ Wurster is a first-generation college student who earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership and master's in administration/project management through Northern Arizona University. His Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice was earned through Rochester Institute of Technology, where he was also captain of the men’s basketball team. He is a graduate of The Chair Academy and the AACC John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute.
Wurster has been with the Maricopa County Community College District since 2010, and he serves as the interim president at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Prior to his current role, he has served MCCCD in various leadership roles such as vice president of academic affairs at Phoenix College; and executive director, associate dean and dean at GateWay Community College. Wursters is also an active adjunct faculty member at Phoenix College and GateWay Community College, and a faculty associate at Arizona State University.
