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Campaign Phone
810-624-5952
Education
Mott Community College, Ferris State University UM-Flint
Experience
I have served on the Mott Community College Board of Trustees
Community Involvement
Community Tree Planting, Earth Day Clean up, Repurpose of Community Spaces, I wrote the proposed bi-laws for the Citizens Advisory oversite of the City of Flint street trees.
Campaign Message
The mission of community colleges is Education and Training while engaging the community and regional Workforce needs.
Endorsements
I am not seeking formal endorsements, and I do not have any formal endorsements to report. My campaign is based on something more meaningful: the community’s firsthand knowledge of my prior service on the MCC Board, my character, and my record of independent judgment. I am grateful for the encouragement I have received from parents, students, educators, working people, retirees, employers, and individual union members. I respect the right of unions and other organizations to endorse candidates, and I respect the faculty, staff, and bargaining representatives whose work is essential to MCC’s success. But trustees must serve the entire College, not a particular constituency. I will listen carefully and treat all parties fairly.
Having served as a Mott Trustee and Chair of the Board where I make important decisions and guide Board actions to maintain the college’s fiscal stability. My institutional knowledge has been particularly valuable when difficult decisions have needed to be made.
One example: The Board initially voted against a modest increase in tuition. I believed that decision could negatively affect the college’s long-term financial stability. As Chair, I placed the meeting at recess and had individual discussions with members. The Board members reconsidered their position and approved the tuition increase.
A Trustee should anticipate external challenges that may affect Mott Community College’s students, employees, finances, and ability to serve Genesee, Lapeer, Oakland, Livingston and Shiawassee counties. These challenges may include changes in state funding and public policy, enrollment fluctuations, inflation and rising operating cost. Workforce changes caused by (AI) technology and automation, competition for students and employees, and the evolving needs of local employers. The college must also address transportation, childcare, housing, financial, health needs and other barriers that can affect student access and degree completion.
As a Trustee, I will take specific steps to help the college prepare for possible challenges. I will review enrollment, financial, Demand Driven Workforce Model, and student-success data regularly. I will require clear projections and contingency plans and support budgets that protect core academic programs while maintaining fiscal discipline. I will ask the administration to evaluate programs on a regular schedule, using employer input, enrollment trends, completion rates, graduate outcome, and regional workforce needs to determine whether programs should be strengthened, updated, expanded, or redesigned.
Most importantly, I will work to ensure that the Board anticipates challenges rather than simply reacting to them. My decisions will be guided by responsible budgeting, measurable results, community input, and Mott’s long-term mission. This approach will help keep the college financially sound, responsive to employers (demand driven), and focused on the continued vitality of our communities.
Education
B.B.A Marketing & Management with Minor in Entrepreneurship - Grand Valley State University
Experience
20 Years of Community & Nonprofit Board Leadership
Community Involvement
Chairman, Flint & Genesee Young Professionals (2017–2020); Founding Board Member, Equality Caucus of Genesee County; Flint Chamber Ambassador (2016–2022); 20+ years of nonprofit and community board service.
Campaign Message
Mott changes lives, and it belongs to all of us. I'm running to make sure it's governed in the open, steward every dollar, and rebuild the bridge between the college and every community it serves. Possibility isn't inherited. It's built.
Endorsements
Mott Community College Education Association (MCCEA); UAW; Greater Flint AFL-CIO Council; Genesee County Democratic Party; U.S. Senator Gary Peters; State Representative Cynthia Neeley; Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton; MCC Trustee Art Reyes; MCC Trustee Wendy Wolcott
I bring 20+ years of board service, including four years as Chairman of Flint & Genesee Young Professionals and as a founding board member of the Equality Caucus of Genesee County. That work taught me that good governance lives in process, procedure, precedent and best practice. Presidential oversight is one of the Board's core duties, alongside budget, policy and strategic planning. I would insist on a rigorous, documented performance evaluation tied to the strategic plan, so every contract decision rests on results. If a vacancy ever arises, my vote would require a national search firm to ensure the college is led by the strongest possible candidate.
Mott is one of this region's most powerful economic engines. Its graduates open restaurants, run salons, staff our hospitals and keep our plants and job sites running. Beyond the classroom, the college should partner with employers and labor to upskill workers at every career stage and serve as a gathering place for lifelong learning and community events. As a Trustee, I would push to expand dual enrollment and co-op opportunities to every high school in the district, including solving transportation barriers, so Mott reaches more students earlier and grows enrollment. I would also keep the Board focused on completion, because today a Mott credential is often a direct path to work, and every credential earned strengthens a family, a neighborhood and our local workforce.
First, return the Board to open governance, a top concern voters raise. The Open Meetings Act allows closed sessions only for narrow purposes, including pending litigation, labor negotiations, property purchases, and personnel matters at the employee's request, and no final vote can happen behind closed doors. Everything else belongs in public, with elected Trustees leading debate and counsel advising, not steering. Second, uphold the Board's code: a documented annual evaluation of the president and public reporting on the strategic plan. Governing in the open and stewarding every dollar are how a college earns and keeps the community's trust.
AI is the biggest shift facing higher education. I graduated in 2009 into the Great Recession, so I understand students whose training AI is upending. I'm tech-forward, but not a cheerleader for tech companies. Automation on the assembly line took the back-breaking lifting and left skilled work for human hands; AI should build up workers the same way, not replace them. The Board should require a clear AI strategy: teach students to use it ethically, update programs ahead of change, and retrain workers into new roles, not out of jobs. With current federal support less certain, budget reviews demand care and transparency with the people who make Mott work. Colleges that plan ahead lead.
Education
University of Michigan-Flint (Bachelor’s Degree) Double Major: Criminal Justice and Sociology. Harvard Business School Summer Venture in Management Program. University of London (Certificate) Global Diplomacy: Diplomacy in the Modern World. Kearsley High School.
Experience
Mott Community College Board of Trustees | Treasurer | Chair, Finance Committee. Federal Law Enforcement Officer, Department of Homeland Security. Former City of Flint Councilman (3rd Ward). Former Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sheriff.
Community Involvement
Founder of The Guerra Project, a community initiative focused on creating small but meaningful opportunities for positive change. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Flint Mentor
Campaign Message
Keeping Mott Community College high-quality, accessible, and affordable for all.
Endorsements
Michigan Education Association. Mott Community College Education Association (MCCEA). Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM). UAW Region 1-D Greater Flint Area CAP Council (UAW). Operating Engineers 324 (OE 324). Flint Police Officers Association (FPOA). Greater Flint American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
I bring experience in public service, government relations, finance, and community engagement. As Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee, I have firsthand experience reviewing Mott’s finances and making sure resources are used responsibly. My experience working with elected officials and community partners also helps me bring different perspectives to important Board decisions.
Mott should be more than a place where students take classes. It should be a community partner that connects people with education, workforce opportunities, and resources. As a Trustee, I would continue strengthening partnerships with local employers, schools, governments, and community organizations so Mott remains connected to the needs of our community.
I want to continue improving accessibility, communication, and community outreach. There are people who could benefit from Mott but may not know what opportunities are available. I also want to continue making sure we remain fiscally responsible while investing in programs and services that directly benefit students and our community.
Our community will face a rapidly changing workforce. The Board should prepare through responsible financial planning, strong partnerships, and regularly evaluating whether our programs are meeting the needs of students, employers, and the community.
Campaign Phone
313-543-4390
Education
B.A. Liberal Arts, Northwestern College, M.Div. Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, M.B.A. Pepperdine University. Biomedical Engineering Technologist AAS, Schoolcraft College
Experience
Traveled the world via the U.S. Navy. Marine Corps Reserve & Michigan Air Guard Plans and Programs, Contracting Office. Worked in high dollar contracts in Aerospace. A more recent Associates Degree in Clinical Engineering got me started in a satisfying career in Clincial Engineering including Genesys Medical Center represented by Teamsters Local 332.
Community Involvement
Trustee and active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School in Burton where I also served on the Board of Education. Supported and volunteered for charities such as "Toys for Tots".
Campaign Message
Our goal should be to keep technical training and college affordable for our young people and those seeking good paying second careers.
Endorsements
John Socey, D.O. Retired, Matthew Taylor, M.D. , Kent Kerwin, GM Tool & Die maker, Retired.
Life experiences where I had to learn new skills for my next career move. I want our Mott College to offer solid skills, and team building training so our students can move into the workforce with confidence.
It's important that educating students be kept as the main focus. Ideally our graduates will become productive citizens in small business, corporations and government entities. That benefits everyone.
We need to keep tuition and fees affordable for our students. Help for students who are struggling academically needs to be available. We can have high standards. We can also provide assistance so people can reach those goals. As Benjamin Franklin said, "Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn."
Maintenance and utilities costs for our beautiful campus are bound to increase. The purpose of the campus and offsite locations is for student learning. What benefits the students and makes it a good learning environment? Let that be the question.
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Campaign Phone
8046833061
Education
Pursuing a PhD Engineering Education Purdue University; MSE in Mobility Systems Kettering University 2022; Bachelor of Science in Engineering - Physics 2000 - University of Michigan; Bachelor of Music - Education - University of Michigan 2000;
Experience
May , 2020 – PRESENT - Lecturer/Instructor - Industrial Manufacturing Engineering - Kettering University; Engineering Education Consultant - Quanser Feb 28 2020-Sept 2022; Apr 1, 2014 – Feb 28, 2020 Account Manager, National Instruments Jan 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2010, & Jan 1, 2013 – Mar 30, 2014 Academci Business Development Manager, National Instruments Instruments Jan 1, 2011 – Dec 31, 2013 Academic Program Manager – Midwest USA, National Instruments OCT 31, 2002 – Dec 31, 2004 - Field Sales Engineer, National Instruments June 5, 2000 – Oct 20 2002; Applications Engineering Manager, National Instruments Sept 5, 1993 – May 1, 2000 CO-OP, GM, AC/Rochester, Hughes Electronics, DELCO, DELPHI-D
Community Involvement
Flint Public Library - Finance Committee Member 2015-2025; Owner - Flint City T-Shirts 2009 - Present; Owner 522 S Saginaw LLC 2012-Present; Chorister Court Stree United Methodist Church 2017-2021; Chorister Carolyn Mawbey Chorale; Friend of Asbury CDC 2015-Present;
Campaign Message
I'd like to bring good government practices back to the Mott Community College Board to help make MCC affordable, excellent, and thriving. As a board member I will accomplish that goal by: 1) Shaping policy informed by 20+ years of community engagement in Genesee County and 30+ years of experience in and around higher education 2) Using best practices for board meetings with a focus on transparency 3) Holding the MCC administration and other board members accountable. If you're interested in good government, a strong Mott Community College, helping to build skill and improve quality of life within the community, and, finally, accountability in government consider voting for me..
Endorsements
Indivisible - Fenton and Flushing MI; Ray Almgren - CEO - Swift Sensors "Andrew Watchorn is a creative problem solver who has found practical solutions to improve engineering education around the world."; Barbara Hughey - Founder - Mechanical Engineering Women in Technology Program - MIT - "Andrew Watchorn has a passion for higher education. He believes higher education should be available to and excellent for all."; Scott Grasman - Interim Provost Kettering University; Craig Hoff - Former Dean of Engineering - Kettering University; Charles Gurden - former Administrator - Baker College. Paul Musasizi CEO Kiira Motors; Kim Brown - Educator - Flint Community Schools "Andrew understands that MCC is essential."; Sue Owens Kinsey - Educator
I believe that using best practices makes boards function well. I have 20+ years of experience in business and community building in Genesee County that will help guide my thinking and actions on the MCC Board of Trustees.
As a board member, I will:
-Shape policy informed by 20+ years of community engagement in Genesee County and 30+ years of experience in and around higher education
-Use best practices for board meetings with a focus on transparency and quality
-Hold the MCC administration and other board members accountable for their actions
As an owner of Flint City T-Shirts, I have seen firsthand that Mott Community College builds skill in the community. Flint City T-Shirts has hired many MCC grads, and they have been valuable members of our team. Beyond practical skill-building, MCC is also the first opportunity for postsecondary education for many of our neighbors. MCC is also an asset for lifelong learning in our community. A board member should help MCC to fulfill its mission of providing "high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services that cultivate student success and individual development and improve the overall quality of life in a multicultural community."
The MCC Board should return to using best practices in three areas. First, it should use a national search to choose its next president. Second, it should favor open vs. closed meetings. Third, the board should hold the president and other board members accountable if they do not use best practices in their roles.
Higher education is facing several challenges. First, the number of students graduating from high school is shrinking in Michigan. MCC must operate efficiently because of this. Second, in a global economy, Genesee County must build skills to add value where we can. Having a board member who has engaged in higher education globally can help MCC to thrive going forward. Third, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way that students learn. I am currently pursuing an Engineering Education PhD from Purdue University. Having a board member who is informed about the state of the art in AI, where it should and should not be used, will help guide MCC into the future.
