This Saturday we will host our 2017 commencement ceremony. Commencement is a distinguished tradition that honors the hard work and dedication of our students, and is, without a doubt, my favorite time of the year as a president of a higher education institution. I get the opportunity to shake our graduates’ hands and congratulate them on a job well done. It is truly an experience that I treasure. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t also take the…
This post was originally published by the Tallahassee Democrat. As our state lawmakers move toward a final budget, it appears Florida colleges and the hundreds of thousands of students they represent are not a priority this year. Worse yet, although we don’t yet know the full extent, the state’s 28 colleges appear likely to see a cut of at least $30 million, while K-12 education and universities receive significant funding increases. I share our state leaders’ vision for pre-eminent universities…
Last Friday, I had the honor of accompanying three of our students to the All-Florida Academic Team Awards Ceremony hosted by the Florida College System and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society. These awards recognize the most outstanding students in the Florida College System based on academic achievement, leadership and service to the community. Sandra Artecona and Kelxy Butler were this year’s award-winners from TCC, and Brianna Mead was also in attendance with us to help introduce keynote speaker FSU…
Last month we officially opened our new Center for Innovation. This is something I have been working on for quite a while and I can’t tell you how exciting it was to finally stand in the new space and share our vision for what it will one day become. The new facility was renovated with the specific purpose of bringing together the nonprofit, for-profit and government sectors to facilitate innovation and entrepreneurism. These three sectors are the drivers of our region’s…
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff, Tallahassee Community College is concerned about the impact of the Trump administration’s recent executive order that prohibits citizens from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States for at least the next 90 days. This new travel/border policy has created uncertainty and confusion among our students, faculty and staff. The College is closely monitoring this situation, which is rapidly changing, and will provide additional information as more specific details become available. In the meantime, we…
Now that we’ve wrapped the 50th anniversary, people are already asking me where I think Tallahassee Community College will go in the next 50 years. While I cannot imagine the changes in degrees and programs that will occur long term, we will remain faithful to the principles TCC was founded on and continue to be demand-driven and student-focused. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to hit the ground running in 2017. Here are a few of the things we…
In Tallahassee Community College’s 50 Anniversary video, “Celebrating a Legacy, Building a Future,” Dot Binger, the third employee hired by Tallahassee Community College in 1966, said “You need always be grateful for founders.” That quote has stuck with me throughout this year as we looked back at the rich history of this College. Being at the helm during such a milestone anniversary has been both a privilege and a far greater responsibility than many realize. TCC started in 1966 with…
2016 has been full of moments both challenging and inspiring. As we get ready to break for the Thanksgiving holiday, I find it so important to pause and reflect on what I am most grateful for. I am thankful for the work we do here at Tallahassee Community College. I am thankful for being able to work with colleagues who are dedicated to TCC’s mission and are passionate about our students’ success. I am thankful for the students themselves who…
The start of fall is always a great time to be at Tallahassee Community College. The campus is busy with students again! Some of you are returning and, hopefully, ready to get back in the swing of things. Some of you are taking your first steps onto a college campus and starting a new chapter in your life. Either way, we are excited you chose TCC as part of your journey and can’t wait to see how far you’ll go….
Tuesday marked an important milestone for nonprofits in our community. The Institute for Nonprofit Innovation and Excellence officially opened in its new permanent home at the TCC Capitol Center. It’s been a long journey to get here. I remember shortly after I became president at TCC being approached by several area nonprofit leaders about the lack of advocacy efforts for their sector in our area. Having served on multiple boards, I already knew the impact that nonprofits have on our…