This is something I’ve been dreading to write, but also looking forward to. May 31 will officially be Wilson Community College President Tim Wright’s last day. He is retiring after almost eight years of serving as the fifth president of WCC and more than 30 years in higher ed under his belt.
Dr. Wright came back to eastern NC in 2015 after serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Casper College in Wyoming. And he came back to NC ready to make a difference – which he absolutely did. Since that time and under his leadership, the College has:
- Assisted over 200 small business owners with starting a business;
- Made major renovations to its library, biotechnology, and information technology labs;
- Completed, or nearly so, the construction of Building S at the Lee Technology Center that will soon house the Electrical, HVAC, and Building Construction Technology programs;
- Helped grow the Foundation by over $2 million;
- Awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships to students;
- Provided instruction to over 28,000 students; And in that instruction, provided college classes to some 3,000+ high school students through its Career and College Promise Program;
- Started 6 new programs under his leadership; and
- Rebranded the College, established a mascot, and set in place naming opportunities across campus.
That’s quite an impact in just eight short years.
If you ever had the pleasure of working with him, or maybe you served on the same boards or were members of the same civic club, then consider yourself lucky. I know for me personally, he is the epitome of a great leader. He hired me at the College. From day one, he entrusted me to build the College’s image through marketing, and then he handed me the Foundation along with it several months later. And I’ve learned so much in my role from him – from decision-making and research to rolling out the red carpet for any and all visitors to our campus.
On a personal side, what you might not know about Dr. Wright is that he loves music (from John Prine to Led Zeppelin), fishing, and he is an avid reader. He can quote Shakespeare, Twain, and nameless other writers and philosophers, and even pop culture references – and did in almost every meeting we had.
There’s one quote he often uses in reference to particularly complex challenges: “Just because a thing can’t be done perfectly, is no reason not to do it.”
A simple concept, but good advice for moving forward when things seem daunting.
In the last eight years, Dr. Wright has stayed true to the mission of the College and the Wilson community. He always refers to WCC students and employees as a family, and even though he may be leaving his post, he’ll always be a part of the Wilson Community College family.
What’s Happening
Ongoing – Fall Semester Registration
May 29 – Closed for Memorial Day Holiday