Presidential Profile
The Pitt Community College Board of Trustees invites applications for the position of
President of Pitt Community College.
About the College
In the Spring of 1961, prior to adoption of the Community Colleges Act by the North Carolina General
Assembly, the State Board of Education chartered what was to become Pitt Community College.
Beginning operations as the Pitt Industrial Education Center, by the Summer of 1964 the institution had
quickly grown into Pitt Technical Institute. Fifteen years later the college was renamed Pitt Community
College (PCC). As a result of exceptional Board governance and extraordinary executive leadership,
accompanied by significant investments made in programs of study and physical facilities, funded by
local, state and private sources, PCC has expanded into one of the largest and most comprehensive
community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). For over six decades,
PCC has provided extensive academic program offerings and support services that include two-year
education and excellent transfer opportunities, competitive workforce development credentials, intrusive
student engagement and success initiatives, multiple adult literacy education programs, and engaging
community outreach activities throughout the service delivery area of Pitt County. In addition, PCC’s
high school programs enable students to earn certificates, diplomas, or an associate’s degree, and earn
transferrable college credits to four-year institutions. The college is a member of, and was most recently
(2023) reaccredited by, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
(SACSCOC), to award degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
The Main Campus of PCC is located in Winterville in Eastern North Carolina. This beautiful, welldesigned campus includes state of the art facilities that house classrooms, labs, and gathering and recreation spaces, spread over approximately three-hundred acres of college property. It is in and on these modern, environmentally friendly places and spaces that the college delivers access to over seventy (70) widely acclaimed academic degree programs, partnership connections to baccalaureate degree-granting institutions, continuing education and workforce development courses that facilitate employment with or advancement in high-demand occupations, and student advancement and outreach programs that connect them, and potential students, to relevant workforce programs and/or further education. The 2023-24 budgeted enrollment at PCC is 7,014 FTE, with an estimated unduplicated headcount of 17,827. The population of Pitt County is approximately 175,000. The compliment of senior leadership, wellcredentialed and accomplished faculty, and dedicated professional staff includes approximately 850 full and part-time employees. The total State funding allotment for 2023-24 is approximately $47.9 million.
In addition to the Main Campus, the college also has several other convenient locations in Pitt County to
meet students where they are, and to facilitate attainment of their educational goals and workforce
employment opportunities. The PCC Farmville Center serves students in the southwestern part of the
county, providing instruction in degree programs such as Healthcare Management Technology, Medical
Office Administration, and university transfer; offering a variety of continuing education programs for
both professional development and personal enrichment; and supplying access to classes for high school
students through the Career and College Promise program. Furthermore, this comprehensive Center also
provides support services, access to technology tools, and financial aid application (FAFSA) assistance.
The Bernstein Educational Center in Greenville offers Transitional Studies related to adult literacy, adult
secondary education, adult high school, English language acquisition, and other related courses.
The mission of PCC is set forth in its Mission Statement: “Pitt Community College educates and
empowers people for success.” The college pursues its mission by establishing a culture of excellence and
innovation in its work, and by being engaged as an essential partner in the economic well-being and
workforce development activity throughout the community. Further, the college pledges to provide access
to dynamic learning opportunities and activities to foster personal enrichment, deliver successful career
preparation, and enable transfer to other higher education institutions. PCC also expresses its commitment
to students through its Student Success Vision Statement: “Pitt Community College will foster student
success through engaging, inclusive, and quality instruction, and provide equitable support services that
enable students achieve their academic and career goals.” The college’s student success vision is
embedded in its mission, and is guided by four core values. The values include community, success, equity
and integrity. Together, PCC’s mission and vision statements affirm a commitment by the institution’s
administrators, faculty and staff to work strenuously for the benefit of students, and more broadly to fulfil
its responsibilities to the communities it serves throughout Pitt County.
The college currently operates under guidance from the Pitt Community College 2020-2025 Strategic
Plan. While the plan includes the institution’s mission and vision statements and the college’s core values,
the plan also includes four institutional priorities. The four priorities are accompanied by nine well-defined
goals. Included in the four institutional priorities are Student Success, Workforce Development, Equity,
and Organizational Development and Accountability. The nine goals that accompany the priorities
appropriately focus upon students; the institution’s work, both internally and externally, to successfully
reach out to, connect with, support, and move them to successful completion; strengthening workforce
development and partnerships; a campus-wide focus upon equity; faculty and staff recruitment, inquiry
and professional development; and intentional and transparent decision-making. Within the next year, the
Board, President and college will need to exert itself and begin work on a new Strategic Plan.
As evidenced in June 2023 by SACSCOC, the college’s reaffirmation validates the work of the institution
in meeting all the principles of accreditation. The reaffirmation also confirms that the offering of quality
academic programs, continuing education and workforce development training and credentialing, general
education programs, and collaborative partnerships, reflect not only the college’s mission, vision, and core
values, but also its breadth and depth as a comprehensive educational institution. This all-encompassing
responsibility can be fulfilled only through the tireless work of an accomplished faculty. Through its
academic leadership, and a practice of shared governance within the academic structure, PCC organizes
its educational programs into five academic divisions. These divisions include Health Sciences, Business,
Construction and Technology, Arts and Sciences, and Public Service / Fine Arts. The college is widely
recognized for its comprehensive offerings of high-demand health sciences programs, construction and
industrial technologies, business and computer technology, and public service training. Examples of
programs in these five areas include nursing, dental assisting, and numerous other health care provider
occupations; accounting, finance, office administration and computer technologies; construction, maintenance, skilled trades, and engineering and automotive technologies; and emergency services (EMS, Fire, BLET) and human services. Through the Arts and Sciences division the University Transfer program, the largest program at the college, prepares students for success in a variety of majors at four-year university transfer partners. As evidence of PCC’s sterling academic program offerings, the institution also holds the following individual program accreditations:
National League of Nursing – Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation
North Carolina Board of Nursing
• Associate Degree Nursing
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP):
1. Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCDMS)
* Cardiovascular Sonography
* Medical Sonography
2. Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services (CoAEMSP);
North Carolina Office of EMS
* Emergency Medical Science
3. Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB)
* Medical Assisting
4. Committee on Accreditation for Polysomnographic Technologist Education (CoAPSG)
* Polysomnography
Commission on Dental Accreditation
• Dental Assisting
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM)
• Health Information Technology
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
• Occupational Therapy Assistant
Joint Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)
• Radiation Therapy
• Radiography
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
• Respiratory Therapy
As a member institution of the NCCCS, Pitt Community College participates fully in the North Carolina
Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA). The CAA is a statewide agreement governing the transfer
of credits between NCCCS community colleges and North Carolina’s public universities. This agreement
is designed to promote the transfer of students from the NCCCS to one or more of the seventeen-member
institutions of the University of North Carolina System (UNC System). In addition to the CAA, PCC is
also proud to have established individual program and/or course agreements, also referred to as “two plus
twos” or “Memorandums of Understanding”, with a number of public and private institutions within and
beyond the State. These partnership agreements with four-year institutions facilitate acceptance of a PCCdelivered Associate in Applied Science (AAS) program for transfer, or an agreement to accept specified,
otherwise non-transferrable courses. The PCC partnership agreements are numerous, and include a
significant number of wide-ranging program arrangements and agreements with East Carolina University.
Agreements with other UNC System institutions include Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, North
Carolina A&T State, North Carolina Central, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Pembroke, and
UNC-Wilmington Universities. Furthermore, PCC also has agreements with private institutions, including
Barton College, Cabarrus College, Mid-Atlantic Christian, North Carolina Wesleyan, and the University
of Mount Olive. The college also has a number of out-of-state agreements, including Ferris State and
Western Governors universities. Examples of program or course agreements for PCC graduates include
biotechnology, computer integrated machining, industrial systems, health information, mechanical
engineering, early childhood, building construction, automotive systems, information systems, welding
technology and a number of other program areas. PCC has been recognized numerous times as one of the
top “Military Friendly” institutions for veterans; and, as a leader in the graduation of minority students.
The valuable partnerships and connections established by the college enable PCC graduates to pursue their
career goals through further education, and strengthen their employment opportunities both locally and
beyond.
As referenced many places in the college’s Strategic Plan, there is an institutional commitment to serve
students and to support economic and workforce development. While PCC is proud of the work carried
out through its continuing education and workforce development programs, there is a significant
opportunity to provide additional services in this area. The work that accompanies the institutional
commitment, which includes delivering accessible, affordable and timely education and training, enables
students to advance their careers, launch new careers, or upskill to meet local business and industry
requirements for the marketplace. There is an accompanying need for the college to work more closely
with employers to meet their labor supply needs. Classes and skills training offered by the college correlate
directly to the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s (DOC) labor and economic analysis for Pitt
County and the region it serves. Furthermore, DOC’s employment information for calendar 2023, and the
outlook through 2030, reflect both robust growth and projected growth in education and health services,
professional and business services, construction and trades, goods production, leisure and hospitality, and
services employment sectors. A closer, supportive, more intimate relationship with local business and
industry by PCC, which results in the development and delivery of customized training activities and
services that support their needs, is critical for the economic well-being of both Pitt County and the region
it serves. Students are the beneficiaries of these relationships, as PCC provides them access to fast and
affordable training, delivered by college and community professionals, at multiple locations across the
service area. This is an area of focus that needs to be addressed.
The college recognizes the critical need of having close ties to students enrolled in area high schools. The
ties that bind the public education and community college sectors together are the High Schools Programs
offered through PCC. Pitt Community College (PCC) partners with the Pitt County Schools System (PCS)
to offer programs and classes on PCC campuses, online, and at the six (6) high schools throughout Pitt
County. Multiple offerings extended to high school students are provided through the Career and College
Promise program, the PCS Early College High School on PCC’s Main Campus, a Health Sciences
Scholars Program, the PCC-PCS Technical Academy, PCC High Schools Programs Pathways, and Career
and Technical Education Pathways. The Early College High School (ECHS) is notable. While it has a
S.T.E.M focus, it delivers an academically rigorous mix of both college and high school courses. Further,
the ECHS prioritizes students who are first generation college bound, which are traditionally
underrepresented in higher education. Finally, the “Bulldog Promise Scholarship” enables students to
complete the journey they began at the college if they meet certain eligibility criteria. The multiple modes,
settings, and offerings provided by the college through its high schools programs reflect the institution’s
intention to engage PCS students in every way possible, welcoming them into the world of higher
education through whatever portal they access it.
The breadth and depth of a comprehensive higher education institution like PCC would not be possible
without generous support from both the Pitt County Commissioners and the Pitt Community College
Foundation. For decades, the County Commissioners have provided considerable annual support for the
operations and maintenance of the institution. In addition, the Commissioners and citizens of Pitt County
have provided, though general obligation bonds and dedicated sales tax revenues, millions of dollars for
facility construction and renovation. As further testament to the financial support provided to the college,
the Pitt Technical Institute Foundation, now known and respected as the PCC Foundation, was established
in 1973. Over the past fifty-plus years, the Foundation has generated and funded millions of dollars in
financial resources for support of the institution’s physical and capital development, for student support
in the form of scholarships and special assistance, and to supplement the educational activities at the
college. The President will be expected to act as chief fundraiser in their work with and for the PCC
Foundation. The success that Pitt enjoys today is a result of good governance and extraordinary leadership,
but also the result of generous individuals, alumni, business and organizational entities throughout Eastern
North Carolina who gave, and continue to give, unselfishly of their time, talent and treasures to Pitt
Community College.
The Role of the President
The President of Pitt Community College is employed by and is responsible to the Board of Trustees. The
twelve-member Board is guided by the “Principle of Shared Governance” in executing its governance
responsibilities and fulfilling its fiduciary duties, and in its professional relationship with the President.
The President serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the college. In this capacity, the Board has
granted the President full responsibility and authority for implementing policies adopted by the Board,
sufficient for effective operation of the institution, pursuant to and consistent with Federal Code and North
Carolina General Statutes; the State Board of Community College Code (SBCC Code), including all
policies, rules and regulations therein; SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation; and sound educational
practices. Furthermore, the President is responsible for all administrative and managerial aspects in the
development and operations of the college. The Board has further authorized the President to develop and
implement administrative procedures and practices that concern the effective operations of and services
provided by the college. In carrying out these responsibilities and authorities, consistent with and
reflecting the Principles of Shared Governance, the President regularly provides transparent counsel,
guidance, and analysis to the Board with regard to emerging policy issues, trends in higher education
programs and practices, operational risks and threats to the college, fiscal matters, and challenges and
opportunities that require Board consideration, discussion, and potential policy enactment, or amendment
thereto, in fulfilling their governance and fiduciary roles.
The Board has delegated to the President matters related to the college’s personnel and organizational
structure, and has granted to the President authority to select and employ personnel, and to organize,
reorganize and align personnel in a way that best serves the mission, vision and values of the institution.
The President shall also determine the titles, duties and responsibilities of all college personnel. While the
Board has the responsibility to approve all new associate degree, diploma and certificate programs, the
Board has also assigned authority to the President to develop and bring forward new and revised
educational programs and services, consistent and in conformity with SACSCOC and SBCC Code, that
are educationally sound and fiscally feasible, and that meet the education and training needs of students
throughout the community. In addition, the President has responsibilities and authorities related to fiscal
matters, including overseeing the financial operations of the institution and advising the Board of
institutional needs; overseeing resource development, including fundraising, and the pursuit of public and
private grant opportunities; and advising the Board about facility requirements and improvements for
sound institutional operations. The President also oversees the operations of the college’s excellent
programs of intercollegiate athletics.
The President has a principal role of representing the interests of the college and its students outside the
physical boundaries of the institution. The President of PCC becomes the face of the institution as it relates
to local, regional, state, and national elected and appointed officials; to existing and prospective businesses
and industries; to secondary and higher education partners; to friends and benefactors of the institution; to
community, civic and, cultural organizations; and most importantly to adult learners and potential
students. The President’s interactions with these individuals, groups and organizations is critical in
establishing new and nurturing existing relationships and partnerships with the college, encouraging and
securing public and private investments in it, and serving as opportunities to build trust with others about
all the programs and services that PCC has to offer. This role can only be filled by an engaged, collegial,
and visible Presidential ambassador and advocate.
Opportunities and Challenges
The next President of Pitt Community College will lead an institution that is not only proud of its six
decades of service to the residents of Pitt County and Eastern North Carolina, but one that has been
governed by dedicated, committed Board members, and led by executive leadership that had a vision for
growth and a passion for student success. PCC has been instrumental in satisfying the educational needs
of and connecting employment opportunities for students, striving to meet the workforce preparedness
requirements of businesses and industries, supporting the personal enrichment and professional
development of individuals, and fulfilling the hopes of first generation, underserved and underrepresented
populations. Notwithstanding the many student success stories brought to fruition by Boards, Presidents,
Faculty and Staff at the college, the mission of educating and empowering people for success continues.
As such, the next President will have opportunities, in partnership with the Board, PCC employees and
the community, to develop a new Strategic Plan, explore new education and training possibilities for
emerging occupations, identify approaches for meeting student financial and mental health issues,
partnering with the business community for innovative economic and workforce development programs,
and encouraging new investments by friends of the college.
The Search Committee and Board of Trustees provided two public fora and a survey instrument to collect
employee and community member input about the future of the college. The purpose of the fora and
surveys was to enable employees and community members to express their views about the opportunities
and challenges that the college faces over the next three to five-year period. The following items are seen
by the college and community as opportunities and challenges that are before the college:
The Pitt Community College Presidential Search Committee and Board of Trustees, with in-person
participation opportunities and survey input from college employees, students, alumni, community
members and citizens throughout Pitt County, identified the ideal characteristics desired in the next
President to compliment the opportunities and challenges that face the institution. The ideal characteristics
include the professional background, array of personal and educational experiences, personality traits, and
acquired skills needed to lead the institution going forward in a time of change in higher education.
The next President must quickly and effectively create and solidify a partnership with the Board of
Trustees, supporting them in their role as the governing body of the institution. Establishing such a
partnership requires the President to communicate openly, work closely alongside, and provide the Board
with timely information about the internal and external operations of the college. The President will assist
the Board in developing, adopting, and implementing policies, programs, and services that best serve and
the interests of students, the community, and business and industry throughout Pitt County. Following
closely the development of a partnership with the Board, the next President must also establish strong
bonds with college leadership, faculty, staff, and students to insure the continued successful operation of
the institution in pursuit of its mission. Furthermore, the President must connect as soon as practicable
with education and business partners, economic development groups, college advisory boards, and
constituents in rural communities throughout the county and in the Eastern Region to forge vital working
and mutually supportive relationships. Therefore, the ideal characteristics desired in the next President
include:
Qualifications
An earned doctorate from a regionally accredited educational institution and a minimum of ten years of
successful senior-level academic and/or administrative experience is preferred. In lieu of an earned
doctorate, a candidate must possess a minimal credential of a master’s degree from a regionally accredited
institution and a minimum of ten years of successful executive-level administrative, management, or
academic administrative experience. For all candidates, experience in academic programming and skills
training, a commitment to student learning, delivery of student support and comprehensive educational
services, knowledge of economic and workforce development, possessing financial and fundraising
acumen, and public or private sector enterprise experience is preferred. Candidates must have demonstrated
administrative or executive experience in a comprehensive, complex educational setting and/or private
organization. Other qualifications include excellent oral and written communication skills, demonstrated
leadership experiences, and an ability to build partnerships and relationships throughout the community.
For more information or to apply: President, Pitt Community College, NC – ACCT Searches
Drive Shack |
Roth Staffing Companies |
Workday |
Allen Consolidated Schools |
The George Washington University |
Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania |