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Perspective | Looking back on my time as Community College System President

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President Thomas Stith of the North Carolina Community College System delivers the 2022 commencement address for Mitchell Community College. Courtesy of Mitchell Community College

I’d like to share a few words of reflection as I conclude my service as the president of the North Carolina Community College System.

As I visited each of the “Great 58” North Carolina community colleges during my first year as president, I took in the similarities and uniqueness of each college. Just as each of us has a distinctive style, so does each of our community colleges.

What they share — and what we share — is a commitment to excellence, expansion of opportunity, and a belief that we hold North Carolina’s future in our hands. Because of our collective work, the future of the system shines bright.

A few noteworthy milestones during my tenure:

  • Historic budget support for the North Carolina Community College System.
  • Increase in Fall 2021 enrollment despite the national trend of continued enrollment decline.
  • Received multi-million-dollar grants to support apprenticeship, adult learners, minority students, and other key student populations.
  • Assembled a senior team reflecting a historic level of diversity.

As a man of faith, I believe I was commissioned to do a job at the North Carolina Community College System at this specific time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”

The past year and a half was my season, and working alongside the presidents, trustees, State Board, and our passionate, talented staff was truly my purpose under heaven. As I go forward into what God has for me next, I will be better for having had this experience.

In closing, I find peace in the words of Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”