Forsyth Technical Community College has proudly served the citizens of Forsyth and Stokes Counties for almost 60 years. Being named the seventh President of Forsyth Tech on October 19, 2018 was one of those truly once-in-a-lifetime moments and the professional opportunity of a lifetime.
My predecessor, Dr. Gary Green, led Forsyth Tech for 17 of those years. Under Dr. Green’s leadership, the College participated in the renewal and new development of our communities by adapting our programs to meet the needs of our region. We introduced new programs in advanced manufacturing, health technologies, cybersecurity and automotive systems to respond to the changing workforce needs.
Today, our largest employers are medical facilities, and we are among the largest provider of health education programs in the state. We offer 17 health programs and by partnering with clinical and community agencies, we prepare a qualified health care workforce. Our biotechnology program is the national leader among community colleges and our nanotechnology and health information technology programs create new career pathways for graduates and support economic growth.
Forsyth Tech’s information technology programs prepare graduates for careers in programming, web development, data management, networking, and cybersecurity. We are a Department of Homeland Security/National Security Administration recognized Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.
Our transportation technologies graduates build careers in automotive and diesel technologies and we were the first community college in the Carolinas, (1 of only 40 US certified centers), to receive Toyota T-TEN Certification for Automotive Systems Technology.
At Forsyth Tech, we are proud of the success of our transfer students who earn higher GPAs at UNC institutions than the students who started college at the university.
A lot has changed over the years, but one thing has remained constant: our dedication to serving our students, communities, and businesses. We are committed to empowering our students to dream and helping them reach their dreams. We align our degree, diploma, certificate, and workforce programs with the needs of our regional job market. We are catalysts for workforce development and leaders in advancing equity and opportunities for increased social mobility.
I believe community colleges are in the business of creating opportunity and hope. As we look towards the future, we anticipate a world of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, robots, regenerative medicine, quantum computing, and other technologies that have not even been imagined yet. We will continue to build upon our solid foundation and our rich history of being a valued and critical partner in the renewal and new development of our communities and we will continue to create new programs and adapt existing programs to meet the needs of our communities and the Piedmont Triad region. Our rich past has given us the foundation from which we can build a very bright future. A future where every student has the opportunity to create a pathway to their dreams.
