New president named at SCC
Southwestern Community College this week got a new president, Donald Tomas of Aledo, Texas, who takes over July 1.
Tomas replaces Richard Collings, who served in the top slot at SCC for just six months before resigning suddenly. Collings, who replaced SCC President Cecil Groves after his retirement, suffered a stroke after coming to North Carolina to start his new job.
Tomas is the college’s sixth president. The State Board of Community Colleges approved the board of trustees’ pick May 20. SCC’s service area is Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, plus the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
SCC Board of Trustees Chairman Conrad Burrell described Tomas as “a good fit for our college and the communities it serves. We feel he has the knowledge and skills to move our college forward to the next level and ensure we complete our mission of providing a quality, affordable education to the citizens of Western North Carolina.”
Tomas said he is excited about the opportunity.
Tomas currently serves as vice president of instruction at Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas.
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Tomas described his role at SCC as one of “servant leader,” with a focus on creating an atmosphere of innovation and success.
Tomas has holds a doctorate from Grambling State University in Louisiana, plus degrees from Texas State Woman’s University and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Weatherford College, where he currently serves, is a comprehensive two-year community college serving a rural four-county region of more than 202,000 residents. His previous positions include chief administrative officer for the Southwest Texas Junior College-Del Rio in Del Rio, Texas, and associate dean of instructional services at Southwest Texas Junior College.
Tomas and his wife, Allison, are the parents of three adult daughters.
