College News

SANFORD — Central Carolinarn Community College movesrnforward into a new era of its 46-year history with the selection of therncollege’s fifth president.

Dr. T. Eston “Bud” Marchant III, of Clinton,rnS.C., currently the vice president forrnEducational Affairs at Piedmont Technical College,rnGreenwood, S.C., will take the helm from President MattrnGarrett, who retires as of Sept. 1.

Marchant was the unanimous selection of the college’s boardrnof trustees and the top choice of three names submitted to the State Board ofrnCommunity Colleges on June 13 for its approval as possible choices. The staternboard approved all three candidates and is expected to officially affirm thernCCCC board’s selection of Marchant as the new president at its July 18 meeting.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity,” Marchant said of hisrnselection. “Centralrn Carolina Communityrn College has such a long and great history inrnservice to the community and in workforce development. It’s exciting to bernchosen as president.”

He will start on Aug. 15, providing a brief overlap withrnGarrett’s presidency for continuity.

Marchant brings a strong background to the position ofrnpresident that matches CCCC’s mission of meeting the educational needs ofrnresidents, businesses, industries, and service sectors in its three-countyrnservice area of Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties.

His higher education career also included service as vicernpresident for Educational Programs at South Piedmont Community College in NorthrnCarolina, dean at Union Technical Education Center at Anson and Stanlyrncommunity colleges in North Carolina, director of Continuing Education at thernCollege of Charleston (S.C.), and dean of business and ContinuingrnEducation/Off-Campus Programs and director of Hilton Head Center for thernTechnical College of the Lowcountry in South Carolina. He started his career inrneducation as a social studies teacher and assistant principal, also in South Carolina.

Marchant also brings a unique background of service asrnexecutive director of the Greater Beaufort (S.C.) Chamber of Commerce andrneconomic development and tourism agent for the cities of Beaufort and Port Royal.

“Our objective was to find the best possible candidate tornfit the college’s service area,” said Bobby Powell, board chairman. “Dr.rnMarchant stood out from a strong field of candidates. The board felt that hernbrought to the table the qualities we were looking for: experience in communityrncollege education, experience with a chamber of commerce and economicrndevelopment, and a strong background in industrial education.”

Marchant’s selection was the result of a long, thoroughrnsearch. About 70 applications for the position were received from around therncountry. The field was narrowed to six, and each of those visited CCCC forrnpersonal interviews with the college’s Board of Trustees andrnquestion-and-answer sessions with employees.

Marchant, 54, holds a bachelor’s degree in History/Educationrnfrom the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree inrnAdministration from Winthroprn College. He received hisrnEducational Specialist degree from The Citadel, and his doctorate inrnEducational Leadership from the Universityrn of Sarasota.

“Dr. Marchant will be able to step in and continue thernsuccess we have had at the college with the accomplishments of Dr. Garrett andrnour past presidents,” Powell said. “He will also be able to carry us on torngreater contributions to our service area.”

Marchant and his wife, Emilie, currently reside in Clinton, S.C.rnShe is a middle/high school career guidance counselor in the near-by town of Laurens. The Marchantsrnplan to live in an apartment for a few months while they find a home in thernCCCC service area.

In its 46-year history, Central Carolinarn Community College has hadrnonly four presidents: Dr. William A. Martin, 1961-69; Dr. Jeff “J.F.” Hockaday,rn1969-1983; Dr. Marvin R. Joyner, 1983-2004; and Dr. Matthew Garrett, 2004-2008.