The search is over for CTC
Marshall Community and Technical College appoints Dr. Keith Cotroneo as new president
Lacie Pierson
Issue date: 7/26/07 Section: News
|
Last week, the search ended when Dr. Keith J. Cotroneo, senior vice president of academic affairs at Quincy College in Quincy, Mass, was named as the new president of the CTC.
The feeling is excitement all-around, John Hess, chair of the Marshall University Board of Governors' CTC committee, said in a press release.
"We're excited to have Dr. Cotroneo join us," Hess said. "He brings a lot of experience in education administration to our community and technical college, and will be a great asset as we move forward and grow this institution."
Cotroneo has held positions in New York, Oregon and Maryland. However, his first experience in dealing with the community college system was at West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery.
"I really enjoyed my time at Tech," Cotroneo said. "It was really those experiences that convinced me to make community colleges a part of my career."
Even though it's been a while since he's been in West Virginia, Cotroneo said he's prepared for almost any situation that comes his way- especially the West Virginia Community and Techical College System's shift to become a more independent entity.
"I've been in the most rural and the most urban places," Cotroneo said. "Any place can have considerable challenges or need significant transitions, like the one going on with the system here. Those experiences have prepared me for things like that."
Cotroneo said he felt comfortable during the interview process because he felt like he and the board were "on the same wavelength," which gave him a really good feeling about his chances of getting the job.
"We were able to connect because we agreed on a lot of things," he said. "Everything the college is about really matches my philosophies."
It won't be until the beginning of the semester until Cotroneo will really get to work at the CTC, but he said he is ready to go. He said he likes to get to know the environment and "know fully" what he is dealing with before he sets any big goals for the school.
"There are some clear directions the school is trying to take," he said. "Things like better access to higher education, promoting workforce education and the success rate of students are all common community college goals."
Among the reasons Cotroneo said he is excited to start his new job, he said he is excited to return to the area where he spent much of his early career. During the interview process last week, he said he caught a concert at Pullman Square and was very impressed by the new downtown area.
"I'm really impressed by the development of the area," he said. "This is such a beautiful area, and the scenery is so aesthetically pleasing."
On top of all of that, there is one last perk to coming to Marshall for Cotroneo. "I am a big college football fan," he said. "I'm really excited to actively participate in a community with such a rich history."
Lacie Pierson can be contacted at pierson19@marshall.edu.
Be the first to comment on this story