The iCollege Tour Series Discusses Community College Leadership with Dr. Kenneth Atwater, President, South Mountain Community College

The iCollege Tour Series Discusses Community College Leadership with Dr. Kenneth Atwater, President, South Mountain Community College on the Journey Begins, radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator.

Bio

Dr. Ken Atwater became President of South Mountain Community College on July 2, 2001. For the five years prior to becoming President he was Vice President for Student Services at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Michigan. In all, Dr. Atwater has served in community college leadership positions for the past 25 years.

For three years prior to his position at Kellogg, Dr. Atwater was Vice President and Dean of Students at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland. He has also been Vice President for Student Development Services at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, South Carolina; and Dean of Students at Catonsville Community College in Catonsville, Maryland. At Jackson State Community College, in his native state of Tennessee, Dr. Atwater was Director of Counseling Services and Director of Student Activities.

Dr. Atwater earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education (with a focus on community colleges) from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, in 1989. He earned a Master of Science degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1978 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech and Theater, and also Sociology, in 1977, all from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. The President is a graduate of the prestigious Executive Leadership Institute of the League for Innovation in the Community College; and also is a graduate of the Institute for Leadership Effectiveness, University of Tennessee – Knoxville.

Dr. Atwater served a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) July 2004 – June 2007. He served on the 2005-06 Executive Committee of the AACC Board, and is currently serving on the AACC Commission on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity.

He has served on the Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors since August 2001, the Valley of the Sun YMCA Board of Directors since July 2002, and the Institute for Community College Development (Cornell University) Board of Directors since August 2006. He has also served on the boards of the Southwestern Michigan Urban League, the Battle Creek Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Greater Battle Creek United Way, the American Association of Community College Commission on Research, and has been Vice Chair of the Board of the National Institute for Student Success.