Coker's new president pushes college forward

HARTSVILLE — Dr. Robert L. Wyatt, Coker College’s 16th president, is about two months into his new position and has already started making moves to push the college forward.

Wyatt began his duties as president July 1 and has since met with the college’s board of trustees to discuss the future of the college and a strategic plan.

While specifics of the plan haven’t been finalized, Wyatt said he is thinking of ways to expand the college’s services in a manner that is consistent with the essence of the college.

Wyatt said he will look at new programs and determine if there is a market for a particular type of program or major not offered at the college.

Wyatt also said he wants to look at increasing the college’s efforts to give back to the community, as well as increase the academic and community service opportunities for students — particularly study abroad programs.

“I don’t think students enter the real world with enough real world preparation,” he said. “We need to make students as real world-ready as we can, whether that’s for graduate school, work experience or study abroad.

“While I enjoyed my time in industry, nothing compares to watching that student take ownership and start to lead,” he said. “My hope is that we can provide leadership opportunities for these students on campus.”

Wyatt is a strong believer in providing opportunities for students to travel beyond the boundaries of their background, city, state and even the country.

“When students come back from study abroad, they are different people when they return,” he said.

Wyatt also said board members indicated they want to see Coker’s profile raised to a national level.

“We’ve been ranked by every publication that could rank us, but outside of a three- or four-state radius, we’re not as well-known as we should be, given the kind of quality product that we provide,” he said. “We should be known on the national scale. We will be looking at ways to make that happen.”

Soon, Wyatt said, he will meet with faculty, students and alumni to share ideas about the college’s future.

By March, Wyatt said the strategic plan should be complete.

“It is an exciting time for Coker,” he said. “We are anxious to get started.”

Wyatt said he was thankful for the chance to serve as president and that he and his wife, Nancy, fell in love with the college immediately after visiting.

In 2007, Wyatt was selected as one of 37 American Council on Education Fellows to participate in a yearlong distinguished higher education leadership development program.

Through that experience, Wyatt said he received an equivalent of a presidential internship and met presidents from across the country, including the president of Queens College (now Queens University of Charlotte), who suggested he apply for the job when it became available.

After Wyatt and his wife made their trip to Hartsville, he said he withdrew his name from any other presidential searches he was involved in because they knew Coker was the perfect fit for the family.

Wyatt said Coker “had all the ingredients” of a place he would want to be a part of.

Everything from the “bright students and instructors that go way above the call of duty” to the community, business and alumni support.

“I think we found the ideal college experience in Coker,” Wyatt said. “I’m thankful for being giving this opportunity. There were many qualified people that were considered.

“We consider ourselves blessed and fortunate to have been chosen and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure the beginning of the next 100 years is as successful as the first 100 years were,” he said.

— Staff writer Shireese M. Bell can be reached at (843) 317-7261.