Former Highline President Dr. John R. Mosby passed away Monday surrounded by friends and family.
He served as Highline’s first Black president, navigating the community through a period of growth and significant challenges including a global pandemic health, racial equity initiatives, successful accreditations, and the implementation of CTClink.
Dr. Mosby served as Highline’s sixth president from July 2018 until Dec. 2025. Highline officials said, “Under his leadership, Highline advanced critical equity work, including the creation of the college’s first Equity, Diversity and Transformation Vice President and division.
Additionally, during his time as president, Highline College was recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the nation’s top 200 community colleges.”
Throughout the week, Highline held “quiet reflection and remembrance spaces for students, faculty, and staff to gather, reflect, remember, write, draw, or simply be present.” According to a campus-wide email the space had “no agenda or expectation – participants [were] welcome to come and go as feels right” and was intended as “a time to honor Dr. Mosby’s impact and to support one another gently, without feeling directed or overwhelmed.”
In the community, Dr. Mosby served as a board member at Northwest Kidney Centers Foundation from 2022–2025, a cause that was personally meaningful to him.
In his last few years, Dr. Mosby struggled with his health, which often took him away from his presidential duties. Stepping away from the role at the end of fall quarter allowed him to spend his last several months with loved ones.
During those times, Dr. Jamilyn Penn stepped up to lead the college, supported by a team of vice presidents and deans. She was appointed interim president in Jan. 2026, and will serve in that capacity until further notice.
This is an ongoing story and more details will be made available as they are released, including ways to “participate in memorials or ways to share memories of Dr. Mosby.”
**Mavrie has been serving as editor for the ThunderWord since 2024. She is also the founding president of Highline’s Non-fiction Writers Circle.**