President Search Narrowed to Three

BOLIVIA, NC – The search for the new president at Brunswick Community College (BCC) has been narrowed from a pool of 80 applicants to three, who are set to interview next week.

The BCC Board of Trustees announced Dr. Gene Smith, Dr. Thomas Gould and Dr. Joel Welch as the finalists to fulfill the position being left vacant by the retirement of Dr. Susanne Adams on January 2, 2019. Each applicant has accepted an invitation to spend time on campus culminating into a formal interview with the Board of Trustees.

All three candidates are currently employed within the North Carolina Community College System.

Dr. Gene Smith

Dr. Smith holds a doctorate in education from East Carolina University and currently serves as Vice President of Academic and Student Services at Wayne Community College, Goldsboro, NC. His span of control includes oversight of 235 employees, a $22,600,000 budget and 39 degree, 16 diploma, and 83 certificate programs. In addition to academic programs, Dr. Smith is responsible for work force development and continuing education programs.

Dr. Gene Smith will visit the campus on October 30, 2018. The public is invited to meet Dr. Smith and participate in a question and answer forum from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in the LaDane Williamson Student Center Game Room.

Dr. Thomas Gould

Dr. Gould holds a doctor in philosophy degree in English from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro and currently serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Pitt Community College in Greenville, NC. His span of control includes leadership and management of all instructional programs, both curriculum and continuing education, and all related support services, including Transitional Studies/Basic Skills, Community Outreach and Recruitment, Academic Advising and Career Services, Distance Learning, the Library, Academic Support, Teaching and Learning, Grants and Sponsored Research, Community Programming, BioNetwork, High School Programs, and the Early College High School. He oversees a budget of $58,000,000.

Dr. Thomas Gould will visit the campus on October 31, 2018. The public is invited to meet Dr. Gould in a question and answer forum at 3:30pm to 4:30pm in the LaDane Williamson Student Center Game Room.

Dr. Joel Welch

Dr. Welch holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Clemson University and currently serves as Vice President for Instructional Services at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, NC. His span of control includes leadership of academic, planning, development and policy matters for the Instructional Services Division, comprised of more than 7,800 credit students in 71 academic programs at eight locations. Dr. Welch also served as Dean of the Business & Technology Division at Greenville Technical College in Greenville, SC.

Dr. Joel Welch will visit the campus on November 1, 2018. The public is invited to meet Dr. Welch in an open forum at 3:30pm – 4:30pm in the LaDane Williamson Student Center Game Room.

During their time in Brunswick County, applicants will meet with college personnel, tour the campus, and tour offsite centers. All applicants were first screened by presidential search firm, Executive Leadership Associates. Applications of 11 finalists were further screened by an Advisory Council comprised of 4 members of the BCC Board of Trustees, 4 staff members from the College, and 4 at-large members of the community. The Advisory Council recommended 6 semifinalists, and the Board of Trustees selected 3 to be interviewed. The community is encouraged to attend the open forums as the Trustees have emphasized the role of the College as a member and leader in the county it serves throughout the presidential search process.

For additional information, please contact London Schmidt at 910.755.7393 or schmidtl@brunswickcc.edu.