Gates Among Six Semifinalists

College Received 30 Applications for President’s Position

— A NorthWest Arkansas Community College administrator is one of six semifinalists hoping to become the next college president.

Steven Gates, senior vice president for learning and provost, was among those chosen by a search committee that started with a pool of 30 applicants. The committee met Thursday to review each candidate’s materials before choosing the semifinalists, according to a college news release.

Gates has been at the college since April 2007. He started as vice president for institutional advancement and held that position until his title and responsibilities changed in 2009 to senior vice president for institutional advancement. Gates was named to his current position in July 2011, according to the college.

The List

Job Semifinalists

The semifinalists to be NorthWest Arkansas Community College’s next president:

• Jo Alice Blondin, chancellor, Arkansas Tech University-Ozark

• Steven Gates, senior vice president for learning and provost, NWACC

• Cindy Hess, president, St. Louis Community College-Forest Park

• Evelyn Jorgenson, president, Moberly (Mo.) Area Community College

• Anthony Kinkle, president, Wichita (Kan.) Area Technical College

• Carol Spencer, executive director, Arizona Academic Program Articulation Steering Committee

Source: NorthWest Arkansas Community College

“I greatly appreciate the interest the search committee has taken in my application for naming me a semifinalist,” Gates said Friday. “I am excited about the opportunity and look forward to the interview.”

Becky Paneitz, college president since 2003, will retire in June.

The search committee, including faculty, staff, students, donors and community members from throughout Northwest Arkansas, is scheduled to meet Oct. 17 and 18 to interview semifinalists. Three to five unranked finalists are expected to be chosen and forwarded to the board of trustees, who will determine the top finalists, who will be interviewed by the board in November.

“The Presidential Search Committee was extremely impressed with the high caliber of applicants in the search for this position,” said Randy Lawson, chairman of the committee and a trustee. “We were extremely pleased with the quality, breadth and depth of the applicant pool. Our candidates revealed a wide range of leadership skills and academic and business experience.”

The only other in-state candidate is Jo Alice Blondin, chancellor of Arkansas Tech University-Ozark campus.

Whoever is hired will become the college’s third president. Bob Burns served as president from 1990 to 2002, according to the college.

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