Wilkes Community College Names New President

The Wilkes Community College (WCC) Board of Trustees has appointed a new President. “We did a nationwide search and had 42 applicants for the position,” stated WCC Board Chair, Jay Vannoy. I want to thank all the members of the search committee for their time and hard work in this process. We are excited to announce Dr. Michael Rodgers as the next president of WCC. He has the education, knowledge, and experience to lead our college. We are looking forward to working with him to continue and build upon the work Wilkes Community College is doing to educate and train our students. I also want to thank Morgan Francis for his great leadership as interim president during this transition period.” Dr. Rodgers is expected to take up the position on June 3, 2024.

Rodgers has over 23 years of experience in higher education, having taught for ten years and served as the automotive program coordinator for Piedmont Technical College before joining Owensburg Community and Technical College (OCTC). He has been responsible for technical education programs in STEM-related areas such as Automotive, Diesel, Construction, HVAC, Veterinary Technology, Healthcare Facilities Leadership, Agriculture, Tech X Fabrication, and Welding. Rodgers’ leadership and fundraising skills have enabled him to work across units as a liaison between resource development, technical and general education programs, maintenance and operations, and workforce development to facilitate projects that support education and initiatives leading to student success. He has also played a key role in the design of a mobile healthcare education lab and has served as a board member with the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition and on the Ohio County Economic Development Alliance and Hancock County Industrial Foundation.

Dr. Rodgers holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University, a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University, a bachelor’s in chemistry from the University of South Carolina-Aiken, and an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Automotive Technology from Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, South Carolina.

“I appreciate the confidence placed in me by the Wilkes Community College Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, and the communities of Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany Counties,” stated Dr. Rodgers. “The selection to lead this institution of higher education into a new chapter is truly an honor and I look forward to joining the Wilkes family and community. I am excited to get started as we continue our mission of providing a first-class educational experience to everyone we serve and meeting the workforce needs in northwestern North Carolina.”