In January 2016, Joel Welch celebrated more than the new year – he also celebrated his new job as Forsyth Tech’s vice president for Instructional Services and chief academic officer.
Joel came to Forsyth Tech from Greenville Technical College (GTC) in South Carolina, where he served as dean of the Business & Technology Division. He also held positions as faculty member, department head, dean of Engineering Technology and associate vice president for Administration. Before joining GTC in 1998, Joel worked for 10 years as a consulting engineer.
At Forsyth Tech, he oversees instruction for 68 associate degrees, in addition to providing faculty leadership, program development, community outreach and general program administration. “I am honored to be leading Forsyth Tech’s dedicated and accomplished faculty in creating new, relevant programmatic opportunities for our students,” says Joel. “Together we are going to make a difference, with support from our strong community partnerships.”
Joel brings a wealth of academic credentials to Forsyth Tech. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from The Citadel, a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of South Carolina and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Clemson University. He, his wife, Lisa, and their three children, ages 8, 16 and 19, relocated to Winston-Salem in May. Welcome, Joel!
