Tykesha Myrick Named President’s Chief of Staff

Throughout the spring, NOVA conducted a national search for the Chief of Staff to the Office of the President. Chaired by Manassas Provost Molly Lynch, the committee reviewed and interviewed a strong and diverse pool of applicants, and today, I am pleased to announce that Ms. Tykesha Myrick has been named to this role.

Ms. Myrick is the associate director for federal relations at NOVA and has been serving as acting chief of staff over the past year. She has been at our college since 2013, holding roles in advising, financial aid and student success over the years. Prior to joining NOVA, she worked at a number of colleges and universities, including Howard University and Hampton University. Ms. Myrick holds a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Walden University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of South Carolina.

Ms. Myrick stood out in this search for the respect with which she is held in the Commonwealth and among national higher education organizations. She is a graduate of the American Council on Education Virginia Senior Women’s Leadership Seminar and the VCCS Classified Staff Leadership Academy. She has served as a federal grant reviewer, and during her time as associate director for federal relations, NOVA secured more than $5M in congressionally directed spending. Ms. Myrick serves on the American Association of Community Colleges’ Advocacy Advisory Group and was invited by the Association of Community College Trustees to present on governmental relations to presidents and trustees. As acting chief of staff, she was tapped by the National Association for Presidential Assistants in Higher Education to present at its national conference and to assist in organizing the 2023 conference. As a financial aid professional, she was active in NASFAA, including serving as a conference mentor and co-chairing the Global Issues and Diversity Committee.

She has also demonstrated a commitment to shared governance and institutional committee work. At NOVA, she served on the College Senate and as a member of the Achieving the Dream Core Team and the Financial Aid Committee. At Howard, Ms. Myrick was a founding member of the university’s Honor’s Council and served on the Student Affairs, Athletics, Institutional Assessment and Retention Committees, among others.

I thank the search committee for its diligence and dedication and extend my appreciation to the many accomplished professionals who were part of this search. Ms. Myrick will begin as chief of staff on June 24, and I know you join me in congratulating her!