Dr. Vicky Smith celebrated her one-month anniversary with McHenry County College September 16 and I got the chance to sit down with Dr. Smith and talk about her experiences at MCC thus far.
As a student of McHenry County College, and as a resident of McHenry County, I wondered how Dr. Smith felt now that she's had some time to "dig her feet in" at her new home.
When I asked her about her overall feel of the school and the community, she replied that she felt that the people of McHenry County, along with the students and faculty at MCC, were in general "sincere and friendly, and all around lovely people," going on to say that she feels very comfortable here.
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After an exhausting eight-month search, the board members of McHenry County College held a special meeting last July. At that time, board member Mary Miller and Dr. Smith signed a contract for her to serve as the next president of MCC.
Their press release states Miller as saying, "The board is excited about working with Dr. Smith and that she will bring new ideas and great experience to the college." Additionally stating that, "Dr. Smith has experience with moving a college forward while increasing its financial security."
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Two things much needed at McHenry County College.
With a current enrollment this fall topping out at 7,392 students, a record number for the institution, comes more money, and the need for a president who can work with the school's board.
In the past two years there have been four different presidents at McHenry County College. Starting with the resignation of Walt Packard in February of 2009, moving on to interim presidents Larry Tyree and Kathleen Plinske.
Interim president Kathleen Plinkse announced her resignation last June, after 19 months on the job. She had been employed at the school over the course of the last nine years in various positions.
That jolt along with the on-going controversy surrounding ex-president Walt Packard, has made it tough at MCC. He continues to get health benefits paid for by the school, and will through mid-August 2012, although he received his last check from the school on June 30 of this year.
But it's good to see the college getting back on track.
Planning for the future is key to the success of a community college. Seeing how Dr. Smith feels that the school is part of the "fabric of our community," hopefully she will be able to begin sewing the pieces together between the school board, faulty, students and residents of McHenry County.
