Press Releases

Dickens to Lead NC Association of Community College Trustees

Sam Dickens

Nash Community College Trustee, Sam Dickens of Rocky Mount, has been named chair of the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees (NCACCT) Executive Committee.

Currently in his sixth term as a member of the Nash Community College Board of Trustees, Dickens has served at NCC since 2000, including four years as chair.

“We are grateful that Mr. Dickens is willing to invest his time serving on the NCC board. His longstanding commitment at the local and state levels confirms his belief in the mission of the community college system,” said NCC Board Chair Paul Jaber.

In an interview with NCACCT in December, Dickens cited funding and enrollment as the top two issues he believes NC community colleges are facing right now. He stated that trustees want their colleges to be relevant, up-to-date and able to serve the needs of the community. However, funding is needed to support those desires. Growth is related to funding, he said. “If you don’t have people, then you can’t get funding; if you don’t have funding, then you can’t get the people.” Therefore, in order to get both funding and enrollment, the community college must constantly tell its story better than anyone else.

“Nash Community College takes great pride in Sam Dickens, not only as an active member of our Board of Trustees but also for his continuing participation in the NCACCT,” NCC President Dr. Lew Hunnicutt said. “I have no doubt all 58 community colleges in North Carolina will benefit from his NCACCT leadership.”

Dickens said he is particularly proud of how NCC has kept the college on the cutting edge of what’s needed in the community.

Sam Dickens was previously Vice-Chair of the NCACCT Executive Board. He is employed as Chief Operating Officer for OIC of Rocky Mount.
 
Excerpts used with permission from NCACCT