By Ashley Bradley/ne news editor
NE Campus recently hired its first Weekend College director.
Jack Dalrymple plans to make the program worthwhile and an important part of TCC.
“I am the night and weekend administrator, and I’ll be involved in the future planning in what we want the Weekend College to do,” he said. “I want to extend classes to Sunday afternoons.”
Dalrymple earned a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
He served in the military, where he received numerous awards including the Legion of Merit.
“I wanted to get into education when I retired,” he said.
Because he has extensive experience in higher education, including department chair at the University of Mississippi and deputy department chair at the U.S. Naval War College, Dalrymple believes he is suited to run the Weekend College program.
“I have extensive experience being a leader,” he said.
Vice president of teaching and learning Jane Harper, who helped select Dalrymple, said he was terrific in interviews and impressed those he needed to impress.
“He is incredibly organized,” she said. “He has an insatiable desire to be a part of the community college and what we do.
“He impressed the committee to do logic on his feet and to articulate reasonable, responsible answers.”
Because he has heard a number of great things about TCC, he said he is happy to be part of the faculty.
“It has a great reputation for students and for the staff and faculty,” he said.
Because Dalrymple wants students who attend the Weekend College to have the same resources other students have, he wants to keep multiple parts of campus open.
Currently, several offices including counseling, advising, disability support services, health services, the bookstore and library are open Friday and Saturday 8-9 p.m.
At this time, Trinity River is the only other campus with a weekend director. Eventually, all five campuses will.
