SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Dr. Casey Sacks, acting president at BridgeValley Community and Technical College, says the past four months in the temporary role ha given her inspiration to apply for a permanent leadership role.
Sacks is one of three finalists for president at BridgeValley Community and Technical College (BVCTC) and held events throughout the day Wednesday on campus as part of the Presidential Search Committee agenda.
Sacks has been serving as interim president since June when the BridgeValley Community and Technical College Board of Governors fired Eunice Bellinger as president.
“I’ve learned that I really love it here. That the people who work here are committed to what they do and serving students. It’s a great institution,” Sacks told MetroNews of the past four months.
Sacks holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration. Her background includes serving eight years as the Assistant Provost for the Colorado Community College System, two stints as Vice Chancellor for the West Virginia Community and Technical College System, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges at the United States Department of Education.
Sacks told MetroNews that she’s always had a career goal of being a president at a community college. She said that community colleges are where the best parts of higher education exist.
“It’s really about workforce education, it’s really about helping our students get better. In my opinion, it’s the most fun part about higher education,” she said.
Sacks said expanding programs like the Learn and Earn, connecting students with jobs, and reaching out to business and industry leaders in the Kanawha Valley are important to her moving forward. She said her right away goals if selected as the next president is about increasing student success.
“It’s all about how do we help students enter the labor market and how do we help students transfer to four year institutions in West Virginia,” Sacks said.
Sacks’ day included breakfast with the campus community, Presidential Search Committee interview, meeting with HEPC leaders, a public forum with students and alum, and afternoon forums with employees. Sacks had events at both the South Charleston and Montgomery campuses.
The other two finalists for president include:
– Camille Reese, vice president at Mitchell Community College in Statesville, North Carolina.
– Philip Klein, the vice president of economic and workforce development at West Virginia Northern Community College in Wheeling.
Reese’s events are on Nov. 16 and Klein’s events on Dec. 2.