HARRISON, Mich. – September 22, 2026 – New state programs are making community college tuition free for a growing number of Michigan adults this fall, and Mid Michigan College is under new leadership following the appointment of its eighth president. Against that backdrop, Teola Lutsker has announced her candidacy for the college’s Board of Trustees, the governing board elected by voters of the Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin, Harrison, and Mt. Pleasant public school districts.
FAST FACTS
Candidate: Teola Lutsker
Office Sought: Mid Michigan College Board of Trustees
District: Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin, Harrison, and Mt. Pleasant public school districts
Background: Instructor at public and private institutions; Clare-Gladwin RESD SPARKS after school program; Assistant Director of Development at Central Michigan University
Platform: Rural access, workforce and community partnership, transparent governance
Election Day: November 3, 2026
Since Michigan Reconnect launched in 2021, more than 250,000 Michiganders have applied for the tuition free scholarship and nearly 20,000 have graduated, according to the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). State data shows Reconnect graduates go on to earn a median wage more than $13,000 higher than before they enrolled. Michigan’s newest state budget also added a $40 million fund to help reimburse dual enrollment costs for high schoolers taking college courses. Lutsker says these changes could bring more students to Mid Michigan College’s doors than ever before.
Lutsker says that shift makes the Board’s decisions about programs, support services, and outreach more consequential than they’ve been in years.
“More families in our region than ever now have a real, funded path to Mid Michigan College. That only matters if the College keeps its programs and support strong enough to meet them where they are. That’s exactly the seat I’m running for.”
Teola Lutsker
Lutsker’s own path reflects the range of students she hopes to serve. She has worked as an instructor at both public and private institutions and served with the Clare-Gladwin RESD SPARKS after school program. She currently serves as Assistant Director of Development at Central Michigan University, where she builds relationships with donors supporting University Libraries, the College of Education and Human Services, and the College of the Arts and Media. Few candidates in this race can point to experience across every stage of that pipeline, from the classroom to K through 12 programming to higher education advancement, a breadth Lutsker says informs how she evaluates decisions at every level of the College. She has also been invited to speak at community events, including the Zonta Club of Mount Pleasant’s Her Voice, Her Story series. She is also a mother who stepped back from the workforce for a period before returning, an experience she says shapes how she thinks about who a community college needs to serve.
“I understand this firsthand as a mother who stepped back from the workforce for a time and had to find my own way back in. I know how much it matters to have a college that meets people where they are, whatever stage of life that’s in.”
Lutsker’s campaign centers on three priorities: rural access to education, workforce and community partnership, and transparent governance. Mid Michigan College maintains an open door admissions policy and dual enrollment programs that let area high school students begin earning college credit before graduation. The college’s service area also expanded in 2021, when Mt. Pleasant Public Schools voters approved joining the district, a change Lutsker says has made the Board’s decisions relevant to more families across all three counties than ever before.
Voters will have an opportunity to hear directly from trustee candidates at the Mid Michigan College Trustee Candidates Forum, 7:45 p.m., September 30, at Mt. Pleasant City Hall, 320 W. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant.
The general election is November 3, 2026. A full overview of Lutsker’s platform and background, including a downloadable platform summary, is available at teolalutsker.com.
About the Race: The Mid Michigan College Board of Trustees is a locally elected, nonpartisan body that oversees the College’s budget, policies, and long term direction. Trustees serve six year terms and are elected by voters residing within the College’s district, covering the Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin, Harrison, and Mt. Pleasant public school districts.
About Teola Lutsker
Teola Lutsker’s career spans instruction at public and private institutions, K through 12 program leadership with the Clare-Gladwin RESD SPARKS after school program, and her current role as Assistant Director of Development at Central Michigan University. Her platform for the Mid Michigan College Board of Trustees centers on rural access, workforce and community partnership, and transparent governance. Learn more, get involved, or download her full platform overview at teolalutsker.com.
Media Contact: Teola Lutsker for Mid Michigan College Trustee | [email protected] | teolalutsker.com
Teola Lutsker is available for interviews, and high resolution campaign photography is available upon request.
Sources
https://midmich.edu/news/2026/07/mid-michigan-college-board-of-trustees-appoints-dr-scott-mertes-as-eighth-president
https://www.michigan.gov/mileap/press-releases/2026/08/26/gov-whitmer-announces-expanded-reconnect-eligibility
https://www.traverseticker.com/news/new-state-budget-could-yield-significant-enrollment-gains-for-nmc/
https://midmich.edu/admissions/why-mid
https://midmich.edu/admissions/tuition/25-26-rates
https://www.facebook.com/zontamtpleasant/posts/get-to-know-teola-lutsker-one-of-our-guest-speakers-for-the-her-voice-her-story-/1253813853516711/
Media ContactCompany Name: Teola Lutsker for Mid Michigan College TrusteeContact Person: Teola LutskerEmail: Send EmailCountry: United StatesWebsite: https://teolalutsker.com/
