Public invited to RCC’s presidential installation
Oct 8, 2015Rockingham Community College cordially invites the public to the installation ceremony on Oct. 20 for RCC’s fifth president.
Dr. Mark O. Kinlaw, who began his duties on January 20, will be installed at 11 a.m. in the Keys Gymnasium. A community lunch on the patio of the Whitcomb Student Center will follow the ceremony. The Catalinaswill perform popular beach music classics in the Apple Amphitheater beginning at 1:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the Keys Gymnasium.
“RCC has had a tremendous impact on Rockingham County and this region,” Dr. Kinlaw said. “My vision is for it to continue to do so by making sure we offer the highest quality education to our students that we can, and that we graduate students who are ready to transfer to complete a four-year degree and graduates who can be competitive in the workforce.”
A strong supporter of business and industry, Dr. Kinlaw expects the college to keep businesses and industries in the county vibrant. “Instilling a level of confidence that we can meet workforce needs will go a long way toward attracting future business and industry to Rockingham County,” he said.
Having worked in the community college system for 27 years, Dr. Kinlaw believes very strongly in the purpose and accomplishments of community colleges.
“We serve over 750,000 students every year through our community college system, and I believe we change lives every day,” Dr. Kinlaw said. “I hate to think about where we would be as a state without our community college system. As open-door institutions, we open doors for students and provide opportunities that they would not have otherwise. I am honored to be part of a system that makes such an incredible impact.”
His installation, he continued, is not about him but the opportunity to celebrate the founding of the college, what it has done for Rockingham County, and what it will continue to do. “I hope people will come out to help us celebrate,” he said.
