DENVER (AP) — Former Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia will take over as president of the Colorado Community College System, the state's largest system of higher education.

The Denver Post reports that the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education made the announcement Wednesday.

Garcia will take over for the retiring Nancy McCallin in overseeing 13 colleges and 39 campuses across Colorado, serving more than 137,000 students.

Garcia served as lieutenant governor and as executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education from 2011-16.

Garcia also served as president of Pikes Peak Community College and Colorado State University-Pueblo.

He is currently president of The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, an interstate compact created to provide access to higher education opportunities for residents of the western United States.

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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com