College History

Dr. Don Tomas
SCC President
2011-Present

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2011

• Dr. Don Tomas was selected as the College’s sixth president. Dr. Tomas previously served as Vice President of Instruction at Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas.
• SCC embarked upon a long-range strategic planning process to chart a course for the college during the next five years. This planning process was named Vision 2017.
• Dr. Thom Brooks was named Vice President for Instruction and Student Services and Scott Baker assumed Brooks’ former role as Dean of Career Technologies.
• Southwestern’s Emergency Medical Science (EMS) program received national accreditation, making it one of only two nationally accredited programs among EMS programs in North Carolina community colleges.
• Southwestern’s National Park Service Seasonal Law Enforcement Ranger Training program became only the second program of this type among community colleges to become accredited as an NPS-SLET academy.

2012 

• The Burrell Building was completed in 2012, with the official dedication held in July, 2012. The new facility features classrooms, a student bookstore, administrative and faculty offices, and a conference center.
• Deanne Oppermann, chemistry faculty member at Southwestern, was selected by the North Carolina Community College System as the Outstanding Faculty Member for 2012.
• As a component of its Title III grant, the college embarked on a major capital “Student Success Campaign” with a goal of creating a $1 million endowment for student scholarships.
• SCC completed its Fifth Year Report as required by the Commission on Colleges.
• SCC received a new letterpress that prints the Cherokee syllabary.
• SCC received $100,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission to fund critical instructional equipment and supplies for “green” education and training.

2013

• SCC began providing Live Dealer Gaming training for Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.
• The Board of Trustees gave approval to move forward with the development of a facility master plan to address future expansion at the Macon Campus and the Public Safety Training Center.
• SCC Leadership was invited to present its Honors Program model at the three most prestigious national conferences for community colleges: American Association of Community Colleges; Association of Community College Trustees; and League of Innovation for Community Colleges.
• More than $1.5 million in grant funds were secured from Golden Leaf Foundation and Duke Energy. The money will be used for advanced manufacturing and robotics training as well as to enhance SCC’s computer engineering technology and electronics/electrical technology programs.
• Shuttered 12 years ago due to changes in Medicare funding, the Occupational Therapy Assistant program was reinstated at Southwestern. It officially resumed operation in 2014.
• Danielle Shomper and Cathy Huntsman became the first students to enroll in the Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN) educational track, which assures them a spot in Western Carolina University’s bachelor’s degree program so long as they fulfill all necessary requirements while working toward their associate’s degrees at SCC.

2014

• A design by Elizabeth Hammer was selected in April to serve as SCC’s official 50th anniversary logo throughout the 2014-15 academic year. Hammer graduated from SCC’s advertising and graphic design program in May.
• The Automotive Systems Technology program received a Master Automobile Service Technology accreditation – the highest level of achievement recognized by the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF).
• A series of three political debates were held at the Jackson Campus. Students in Dr. Bucky Dann’s Social Problems class asked questions of candidates for the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, N.C. House and N.C. Senate.
• The Student Success Campaign, the most ambitious fundraising effort in SCC’s history – reached its Phase 1 goal and allowed the college to fully leverage a Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education, which matched 100 percent of all donations made by Sept. 2014.
• Tiffany Henry, director of SCC’s Small Business Center, was named Rookie of the Year by North Carolina’s Small Business Center Network after serving more than 800 clients.
• Second-year students in Southwestern Community College’s Respiratory Therapy program won the state’s Gladiator competition and posted North Carolina’s highest finish (fourth) ever at the national contest in December in Las Vegas.

2015

• The “Bluegrass, Blue Jeans and Bling” gala raised more than $51,000 to support student scholarships in July. All funds raised went into the SCC Foundation’s Student Success Campaign, which aims to raise more than $1 million.
• WalletHub named SCC one of the Top 10 community colleges in the nation. The No. 7 ranking marked the third time in nine years SCC has been placed among the Top 10 nationally (Washington Monthly in 2007 and 2010).
• A $1.4 million grant from NASA in October pushed SCC’s grant award total for 2015-16 to more than $3.5 million. SCC took the lead role in securing the NASA grant on behalf of its partners in the Smoky Mountain STEM Collaborative: the Jackson, Macon, Swain County and Cherokee Central school systems; Appalachian State University; Great Smoky Mountains National Park; NASA Marshall Space Center; and Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute.
• A statewide study revealed that the college’s overall impact on its service area of Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary is $126.9 million in added regional income.
• A record number of employers (75) participated in the college’s 21st annual Job Fair.
• Thanks to the generosity of faculty and staff, SCC was able to give away a one-year, tuition-and-fees scholarship in addition to other prizes at its 50th anniversary open house celebration, which drew roughly 500 people to the Jackson Campus on April 10.

2016

• Jackson County voters passed the one-fourth of a penny referendum, which will benefit SCC and the Jackson County Public Schools. The first major project funded through this initiative will be Southwestern’s new health sciences building.
• Southwestern received more than $525,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission for its “Pathways to Employment, Education and Training for Automotive and Related Industries” program in Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties.
• For the second straight election cycle, Students in Dr. Bucky Dann’s “Social Problems” class asked questions of candidates for state and county office during a series of three political debates held on our Jackson Campus.
• During the 2016-17 academic year, Southwestern completed the SACSCOC reaccreditation process.
• Students in SCC’s respiratory therapy program successfully defended their state title in a hands-on Gladiator competition in February. Earlier in the academic year, the team of Jay Cleary, Matt Hixon, Chase Souza and Kasey Wilson won the statewide “Sputum Bowl” quiz contest then placed fourth in the national competition – matching the success of the 2014-15 SCC team.
• Voters easily passed the Connect NC bond initiative, providing $7.1 million for SCC to use on construction, renovation and
  repair projects.

2017

• Students in the Mechatronics Engineering Technology program built a SWAT robot that they donated to the Macon County Sheriff’s office. This device could very well save lives someday in the future.
• Southwestern hosted its largest-ever job fair in March. Approximately 300 job-seekers were on campus to meet with more than 95 employers. The event was coordinated by Mike Despeaux, director of career services, who worked with newly hired career counselor Jodi Waldroup to hold a pair of smaller “Job Fair Fridays” in April.
• As the only community college in the nation to have a cooperative science agreement with NASA, SCC led the way in preparing local communities for the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21.
• Four SCC students launched a high-altitude balloon that captured images of the total solar eclipse as part of a nationwide effort by NASA. Southwestern was the only community college to participate in NASA’s balloon project.
• During the college’s “Bluegrass, Blue Jeans & Bling” gala on Sept. 16, the SCC Foundation surpassed its goal of setting up the college’s first $1 million endowment to be used primarily for student scholarships.
• Recent graduate Lori Monigold earned a perfect score on her National Board Physical Therapy Examination.

2018

• Members of the college’s 100th National Park Service-Seasonal Law Enforcement Training class were honored in a ceremony on April 27. One of only seven colleges in the country to offer NPS-SLET, Southwestern is in its 40th year of providing this program.
• Regional media outlets, including WLOS-TV out of Asheville, praised the actions of SCC’s Upward Bound staff members who helped keep 12 area high school students safe when their bus caught fire on the way home from a service project in Asheville in late April.
• Four-hundred-ninety-eight graduates – the most in college history – were honored in three commencement ceremonies on May 12.
• A memorial service was held for founding SCC Trustee W. Paul Holt on Tuesday, July 3, in Myers Auditorium on the college’s Jackson Campus. Along with several business and educational leaders in Jackson County, Mr. Holt helped establish what was originally known as the Jackson County Industrial Education Center in 1964, and he served on this college’s Board of Trustees for all but 15 months of its existence until the time of his passing – making him the longest-serving Trustee of any community college in the state.
• In September, the Economic Development Administration awarded more than $2 million in grant funding to assist in the construction of SCC’s New Health Sciences Building.
• The SCC Foundation’s annual fundraising gala netted more than $72,000 that will be used to support student scholarships. Over the past four years combined, the gala has raised a total of more than $250,000.
• Tiffany Henry, who oversees SCC’s Small Business Center, received the “State Small Business Center Director Award.” She has won a statewide honor in each of her five years of employment at Southwestern.

2019

• Southwestern held a Cultural Fusion Festival in March, showcasing a wide variety of dance, music, food and crafts that represent the diverse cultures in this region.
• Paul Wolf, founding coordinator of SCC’s Outdoor Leadership and Wilderness Therapy programs, received the Rebecca L. Carver ABC’s Award at the 2019 Southeast Regional Conference of the Association for Experiential Education.
• SCC’s Automotive Systems Technology program received a Master Automobile Service Technology accreditation – the highest level of achievement recognized by the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation.
• 2013 graduate Kyle Dowling was named recipient of SCC’s inaugural Distinguished Alumni honor. Within six years of earning his associate degree in Emergency Medical Science, Dowling had risen to the level of Paramedic Supervisor and Training Officer for Harris EMS in Sylva.
• A groundbreaking ceremony was held for Southwestern’s new Health Sciences Center on Monday, May 6.
• For the fifth straight year, the SCC Foundation’s annual gala set a new fundraising record. The 2019 gala yielded $86,168 – meaning a total of more than $350,000 has been raised for student scholarships since the event’s inception in 2014.
• Astronomy Instructor Zack Stockbridge led a nationwide “Transit of Mercury” measurement effort as part of SCC’s unique partnership with NASA.

2020

• BestColleges.com ranked SCC as No. 1 in its listing of “The Best Community Colleges & Trade Schools of 2020.” It’s the fourth time in 13 years SCC has been included among the Top 10 colleges in the U.S. (No. 4 by Washington Monthly in 2007; No. 9 by Washington Monthly in 2010; No. 7 by WalletHub.com in 2015).
• For the first time, students in Dr. Bucky Dann’s Social Problems class had the opportunity to question candidates for national office as part of SCC’s biannual debate series. Through September and October, Dr. Dann’s class hosted candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives as well as candidates for the N.C. House, N.C. Senate and Jackson County Board of Commissioners.
• Our New Century Scholars program celebrated its 25 th anniversary. Founded in 1995 by Dr. Barry Russell, then-SCC President, and Dr. Charles McConnell, former Jackson County Superintendent, New Century Scholars provides the promise of last-dollar tuition assistance and support to middle-school students throughout SCC’s service area.
• The SCC Foundation awarded a record 142 scholarships totaling $172,000. Counting Student Emergency Fund and New Century Scholars funding, the Foundation awarded more than $200,000 in financial support during a time of uncertainty and hardship.
• To ensure graduates had an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments with family during the COVID-19 pandemic, Southwestern held its first drive-through commencement ceremonies in August and December.
• In September, the U.S. Department of Education officially awarded Southwestern $1.6 million to continue its support of the TRIO Student Support Services program, which has served more than 2,000 students since arriving at SCC in 1990.

2021

• NASA extended its partnership with SCC and the Smoky Mountain STEM Collaborative for five additional years by providing more than $1.5 million in grant funding, which is used to expand STEM efforts throughout the region. Southwestern is the only community college in the nation to have a scientific partnership with NASA.
• For the first time in college history, SCC was able to provide free tuition to all North Carolina residents who enrolled in at least six hours or more for the 2021-22 academic year.
• Despite being unable to hold an in-person gala for the second-straight year due to the pandemic, the SCC Foundation raised more than $87,000 from generous “table sponsorships” and a virtual silent auction.
• SCC received four new Top 10 national rankings, including two overall (No. 6 by BestColleges.com and No. 7 by OnlineSchoolsGuide.net). The Associate in Arts degree was ranked best in the nation by BestValueSchools.org, and our Medical Assisting program ranked second by EduMed.org.
• Our $22 million Health Sciences Center opened for students in time for the fall semester. Ten of our 16 Health Sciences programs are housed in this state-of-the-art, 55,000-square foot building.
• Dr. Tomas and his wife, Allison, are setting up the Allison and Don Tomas Endowed Scholarship Fund in Memory of Amy DuBose McGehee and William Joseph Tomas through the SCC Foundation. It’s the first time an SCC president has set up an endowed scholarship while in office.
• Southwestern became one of 150 institutions nationwide that have been selected to compete for part of a prestigious $1 million grant from the Aspen Institute.