Dalton and Dalton State Thriving Together

It is my honor to accept Chancellor Sonny Perdue’s appointment as the Dalton State College interim president after many years of stellar service from now-retired President Dr. Margaret Venable. I started in this role on June 1 after serving the last year as Columbus State University’s interim president.

I am passionate about strengthening the partnerships among Dalton State and the communities we are called to serve and where Dalton State draws the vast majority of its enrollment. In turn, Dalton State provides the teachers, healthcare professionals, businesspeople, scientists and other professionals that allow Dalton and this region to thrive. In fact, 70% of the graduates who completed our Spring ’22 graduate survey were employed before or upon graduation and of those, 82% were employed in Dalton or the surrounding area, and 91% were employed within Georgia.

The leaders of Dalton and this region have long recognized the importance of Dalton State. It was four of our community’s leading families in the early 1960s who donated the land on which Dalton Junior College saw its beginnings and where we sit today. We have since added the Mountain Campus in Ellijay, Georgia. The enduring support our institution receives is reflected in the many gifts from donors, supporters, alumni and industry partners. While these gifts may benefit a particular academic program, student scholarships, athletics, facilities or other needs – all these gifts benefit our students and help to ensure their current and future success.

Preparing students for success is at the core of what we do at Dalton State. As a state college, we have a unique role in workforce preparation at both the bachelor’s and associate degree levels while also preparing students for future studies if that is their calling. To that end, the University System of Georgia (USG) has developed two tools to help students in their career and education choices.

Georgia Degrees Pay (https://www.usg.edu/georgia-degrees-pay) allows anyone to quickly compare cost of attendance, future earnings and student success data across the USG. The data shows the annual cost of tuition and fees for Dalton State is under $4,000, and only 14% of our students borrow money in a year to attend Dalton State. This data may run counter to what you hear “in the news” about the skyrocketing cost of higher education and demonstrates the accessibility and affordability of a Dalton State education.

Stepping Blocks (https://resources.steppingblocks.com/usg) is another tool that allows current students to access a “Digital Career Counselor” with everything from a personality test to a job board to information on the types of careers pursued by Dalton State graduates with similar degrees. A student can customize the information provided based on their interests and goals. Representatives from our local industries also help students gain an understanding of the types of careers available in specific fields by being engaged on campus through semesterly career fairs hosted by Career and Professional Development and countless classroom presentations within our schools.

All these efforts ultimately add up to student success, which means success for students, families, Dalton and our region. I look forward to working with Dalton State and our partners and supporters to enhance our student and community success while serving in this interim role. Go Roadrunners!