NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT
On Thursday, the New Mexico Junior College Board of Directors announced the five selected finalists for the presidency of NMJC.
“We would like to thank the entire college community for your continued interest and support in the process to identify our next president. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank each member of the Presidential Search Committee for their dedication and effort,” a release from the interim president Steve McCleery read.
“The most important job of a board trustee is selecting a president,” Chair of the NMJC Presidential Search Committee Manny Gomez told the News-Sun. “The goal is to select a leader who will move this institution (NMJC) in the right direction, and to bolster our strengths — NMJC has a lot of strengths — and to improve upon what we have.”
The search committee was made up of about 25 members Gomez said.
“It involved staff from the junior college, professional staff, different faculty, support staff, and members of the community from Hobbs and Lea County,” said Gomez. “The search committee was able to identify five candidates who we believe the board should consider to maintain our rich history and with hopes to create a bright future for our students, faculty, staff, parents and our community.”
The NMJC presidential finalists are:
TJ Parks, M.S., most recently served as superintendent of schools for the Hobbs Municipal School District. He previously served as assistant superintendent for operations at HMS. Parks earned a Master of Science in Education Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales; and an Associate of Arts from the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, NM.
Carmen Simone, Ph.D., most recently served as President of Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, NE. She previously served as Vice President and Dean at the University of South Dakota Community College for Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, SD. Dr. Simone earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO; and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND.
Thad Anglin, Ed.D., is President and CEO at Cisco College in Cisco, TX. He previously served as Vice Provost for Academic Excellence and Outreach at the University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, TX. Dr. Anglin earned a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration and Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL; a Master of Education in Kinesiology and Health Science from The University of Texas at Tyler in Tyler, TX; and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and English from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, TX.
Morgan Phillips, Ed.D., is vice chancellor for academic excellence for the Pima Community College District in Tucson, Ariz. He previously served as vice chancellor of educational partnerships and campus president for the Pima Community College District in Tucson, Ariz. Phillips earned a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration and an Education Specialists Degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.; a Master of Science in Mathematical Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla.; an Associate of Arts in Pre-Engineering Studies from Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Fla.; and an Associate in Applied Science in Interpreter Education, Signed Languages from Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, N.C.
Derek Moore, Ed.D., is vice president for student services at South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado, Ark. He previously served as associate vice chancellor for student success at Arkansas State University Mid-South in West Memphis, Ark. Moore earned a Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Md.; a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in Little Rock, Ark.; and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff, Ark.
NMJC will hold public forums April 18- 22, and each candidate will participate in multiple campus and livestream forums. Forums will be scheduled for faculty, staff, students, and the community. Forums will be virtual or on campus. All current social distancing guidelines will be followed.
At each forum, there will be a brief introduction of each candidate, followed by a question-and-answer session. All who participate in the candidate forums will be asked to provide feedback to the NMJC board of education via an online survey at the conclusion of each forum. Completed forms will be given to the NMJC board for review.
The News-Sun will have more in-depth profiles of each candidate in the coming weeks before the selection process is complete.
