Williamsburg Tech president to move; college names interim leader

Williamsburg Technical College’s seventh president, Dr. Cleve H. Cox, will leave the Pee Dee at the end of July to become president of Pamlico Community College in Grantsboro, N.C.

Dr. Cheryl A. Cox from Columbia, who is not related to the outgoing president, will serve as interim president while the college’s Area Commission seeks to fill the position.

Cleve Cox became president in January 2004, after more than 20 years with Wilson Community College in Wilson, N.C., where he served as director of administrative services, dean of student services, vice president for student services and institutional development, and vice president for instruction and student services.

During his time at Williamsburg Technical College, Cox has served in various civic leadership capacities including Kingstree Rotary Club, the Board of Directors of Williamsburg Regional Hospital, the Waccamaw Council of Governments Workforce Investment Board, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, and Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 358.  He has written a weekly column, “Your College, Your Future,” for The News in Kingstree.

“My years here have given me a valuable knowledge of serving as president during trying economic times,” Cleve Cox said. “I have made lifelong friends in Williamsburg County, and I know that Williamsburg Technical College will continue to change the lives of the people here in the county and beyond.”

“Under Cleve’s leadership, Williamsburg Tech has realized an increase in enrollment and has successfully started a strong nursing program,” said Greg Askins, the college’s Area Commission chairman. “His enthusiasm and humor have made even these tough budget times less painful. We are also confident that Dr. Cheryl Cox is the right person to take us through the interim as we search for the eighth president of Williamsburg Technical College.”

Cheryl Cox comes to the college from the South Carolina Technical College System office in Columbia, where she serves as vice president for academic affairs.

Among the many endeavors she has undertaken in that role are the development of a $1.47 million grant to develop technical college-based training programs and centers to support the federal Weatherization Assistance Program; collaborating with various agencies to develop a grant-funded pilot program to move individuals quickly into high-demand occupations while providing them with a GED and a WorkKeys Career Readiness Certificate; directing the development of a Web-based system for grant administration and management; collaborating with the Commission on Higher Education for the development of a statewide course articulation and transfer system; and developing ways to provide more comprehensive and affordable training in the realms of motorcycle and commercial truck driving, cosmetology continuing education certification, and pharmacy technician certification.

She has previously worked as senior manager for curriculum with the system office as well as an educator in K-12, college and university settings. She and her husband, William Powell, have two children.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Murray State University in Murray, Ky., and Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of South Carolina. She has given many professional presentations and collaborated on various publications during her years of experience in the K-12 and higher-education realms.

“I look forward to keeping Williamsburg Technical College moving ahead in a smooth transition to the new president,” Cheryl Cox says.