Early next year, Southwestern Community College will have a new Executive Vice President for Instruction and Student Services.
However, the new Executive VP is not at all new to SCC.
Dr. Barbara Putman has been a fixture at Southwestern since 2000, when she started the Learning Assistance Center and served as an instructor of English and education.
She also served as Director of Academic Support (2000-2004) and became Dean of Arts & Sciences in 2004. Early last year, she assumed her current role as Executive Dean of Instructional Services.
She will succeed Dr. Thom Brooks, who has served as SCC’s Executive Vice President since 2014.
“I’m excited to announce that Dr. Putman has been offered - and accepted - this vital role at Southwestern Community College,” said Dr. Don Tomas, SCC’s President. “Throughout her time here, she has demonstrated the institutional knowledge, exceptional discernment and tireless work ethic this position demands. We’re extremely fortunate to have someone perfectly qualified to step in and make this transition so seamless.”
Dr. Putman earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Davidson College in 1990, and she went on to obtain a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Connecticut in 1997. She completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Education from UConn in 2006.
Over her years at Southwestern, she has received multiple honors including the 2021 Staff Excellence Award and the President’s Service Award. She is a graduate of the Executive Leadership program at N.C. State University, serves as a committee chair for SACS-COC reviews and has participated in various leadership initiatives at the state and regional levels.
In her current role, she provides leadership for SCC’s Macon Campus as well as the Arts & Sciences Division and the College & Career Readiness Department.
In her new role, she will serve as the chief officer for academics, student services and continuing education.
“I am looking forward to leading SCC's continued excellence in instruction, student support, and workforce education,” Dr. Putman said. “We are regularly recognized as an innovative, learning-focused institution and regional partner, and I welcome the opportunity to continue this record of success with our dedicated team of administration, faculty, and staff.”
