M IS S IS S IP P I

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PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP
VA LMA DG E T. TOWN ER
President & Superintendent Coahoma Community College & Coahoma Agricultural High School

EDUCATION PH.D. IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI, 2010 MASTERS IN DIVINITY PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, 2006 MASTERS - EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, 1997 MASTERS - MATHEMATICS EDUCATION, 1994 BACHELORS - MATHEMATICS, 1991 ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATES DEGREE - MATH-ORIENTED COMPUTER SCIENCE, 1989 COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROFESSIONAL PATH PRESIDENT & SUPERINTENDENT | 2013-PRESENT COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE & COAHOMA AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL DIRECTOR OF PUPIL SERVICES | 2011 - 2013 DESOTO COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM SUPERINTENDENT | 2001-2010 QUITMAN COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM PRINCIPAL | 1999-2002 QUITMAN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL

Institutional: @_TigerNation Institutional: https:// www.facebook.com/ CCCTigers Institutional: https://www.youtube.com/ CCCoahoma

Professional: @DrTowner

Q: Where did you grow up? A: Marks, MS Q: Signicant Other? A: Wait and see. Q: Children? A: Yes (my mom and dad). Q: In 25 words or less, can you explain what you do? A: I am President of Coahoma Community College and Superintendent of Coahoma Agricultural High School. Q: What does your school do exceptionally well? A: It takes students from where they are, and prepares them for four-year colleges and universities; or it helps them become job-entry ready.

PRESIDENT VALMADGE T. TOWNER AT HOME IN THE BOARD ROOM OF THE VIVIAN M. PRESLEY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ON COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGES MAIN CAMPUS
Q: What are the best traditions on your campus? A: Coahoma Community Colleges motto: The College That Cares. It is evidenced daily in how we accommodate the peculiar needs of our students. Q: What has been your proudest moment in your current professional role? A: My proudest moments would be the purchasing of our Greyhound charter bus, and the construction of the new Vivian M. Presley Administration Building. Q: What is the most challenging issue facing the community college system today? A: Funding; we have to do more with less in this age of soon-to-be, performance-based funding. Q: What is the most important thing you learned in college? A: To be organized and thoughtful about what you need to do so that you can be successful on a daily basis. Q: Who was your favorite professor / instructor or class in college? A: The late George Green, he taught Calculus I and Calculus II at Coahoma Community College. 2

Q: What changes in Mississippi higher education do you anticipate over the next 10 years? A: Performance-based funding will be a dominant factor, and schools are going to have to compete more vigorously with for-prot schools.

DR. TOWNER PAUSES TO GREET A COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT AT FALL 2013 REGISTRATION

Q: An anonymous donor has just left $10 million dollars to your school. The only stipulation is that you must spend the money within 1 year. How do you spend it? A: I would have academic scholarship offerings, setup a legitimate honors program and dormitory, and have some faculty seats that are endowed. Q: Other thanMississippi Higher Ed Review, what news sources do you consult regularly? A: Education Weekly, Education Advisory Board research, College Board publications and the Achieving the Dream Project publications. Q: What book(s) are you reading right now? A: The View from the Helm: Leading the American University during an Era of Change, Presidential Transitions, and The First 90 Days. Q: What is your favorite movie of all time? A: Coming to America Q: What is your favorite musical artist / band of all time? A: Nat King Cole Q: What's the best thing you ever ate? A: Fried Cheesecake Q: What's your favorite getaway / vacation spot? A: New Orleans Q: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? A: Commercial Pilot 3

Q: What would people be surprised to know about you? A: That Im really a backseat type of guy that struggles to accept compliments and accolades. Q: Name something on your bucket list, and tell us whether it has been crossed off yet. A: I walked the Great Wall of China.

Q: What is the best advice you ever received? A: Dont lose your blessings by mistreating your elders. Q: What is your favorite quotation? A: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger Friedrich Nietzsche

Proles in Leadership is a recurring feature of Mississippi Higher Ed Review intended to highlight and amplify the efforts of those who work in Mississippi Higher Education.

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