Dr. Galen DeHay named CEO of the Year by SCATCC

Tri-County Technical College President Dr. Galen DeHay has been named the 2020 Chief Executive Officer of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners (SCATCC). The award honors the tremendous services of and contributions made by a technical or community college chief executive officer.

Commission members surprised Dr. DeHay on April 5 by making the award announcement during the bi-monthly meeting.

Dr. DeHay says he shares the award with the TCTC faculty and staff.  “This recognition is a testament to the great team we have here at Tri-County,” he said. “I believe individual awards are team awards. Everyone here believes in the mission and vision of the college and works together on initiatives that move TCTC and the community forward. That makes all the difference in our programs, strategies and services.”

Dr. DeHay assumed the duties of president of TCTC on July 1, 2019. Just seven months later, the pandemic challenged specifically how Tri-County delivers educational experiences. Faced with balancing teaching and learning and its workforce mission with the health and wellness of students and employees and the community, Dr. DeHay was dedicated to remaining flexible without compromising TCTC standards.

One of his highest priorities remains to create more intentional partnerships and pathways to benefit students. Dr. DeHay has been dedicated to working with faculty, staff and stakeholders to help adapt strategies for improving workforce opportunities through innovative programs and services.

Recent examples of how the College has created new ways of doing business include:

• A new Youth Apprenticeship Program joins K-12, business, industry and TCTC working in a structured way to create education and workforce pathways. The program is designed to assist Upstate industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, information technology and others, with building a skilled workforce.
• Certified nurse aides (CNAs) employed at the Richard M. Campbell Veterans Nursing Home in Anderson will have an opportunity to pursue a licensed practical nursing (LPN) credential on site this fall, as part of a new partnership between TCTC, the nursing home and Honor Health Career Programs (HHCP). A shortage of LPNs at the nursing home prompted HHCP to contact TCTC to initiate an agreement – the first in the state – that would create an educational pathway for qualified CNAs to enroll in the three-semester program. Offering an on-site LPN program provides a low-cost education to the student and creates a career pathway in healthcare.
• The College partnered with Medshore Ambulance to offer free accelerated EMT classes. Individuals accepted into the EMT-Basic course receive free tuition, certification and testing. The EMT Academy is the first of its kind in the state.
• The SC Technical College System and the SC Criminal Justice Academy announced March 2 a partnership that provides a new career pathway for individuals interested in entering law enforcement. This pathway, which will be offered this fall at TCTC, as well as at the state’s other 15 technical colleges, is based on workforce development. The four-course certificate program can provide a simple path to becoming a law enforcement officer and was developed in partnership with the SC Criminal Justice Academy.

Dr. DeHay joined the College in 1999 and during his 21-year tenure, has worked as a faculty member, department head and administrator. He taught biology for 11 years and served as science department head for four years.  He is the 2007 recipient of Tri-County’s Presidential Medallion for Instructional Excellence, and that same year he was named the S.C. Governor’s Professor of the Year for two-year institutions.

He accepted the director of planning and institutional effectiveness position in 2012.  He also has served as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, and assistant vice president for instruction and institutional effectiveness.

In 2013 he was named Tri-County’s Administrator of the Year at the South Carolina Technical Education Association conference.

As senior vice president, Dr. DeHay provided leadership for all academic, student support, enrollment, and workforce development functions of the College. Under his direction, the College developed manufacturing and health care pathways (I-BEST programs) for high school and non-traditional student populations.

He co-developed and implemented a business and industry relations model that improved the College’s ability to meet emerging workforce needs and designed an integrated workforce solution structure that integrates non–credit and credit programming to meet workforce needs.

Dr. DeHay is a graduate of the 2020 Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program. In 202b he was selected to participate in the Diversity Leaders Initiative through Furman University’s Riley Institute. He serves on the board of directors for Ten at the Top (for the Upstate) and the Community Colleges of Appalachia.

Dr. DeHay holds a bachelor of science degree in Biological Sciences, a master of science degree in zoology, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership, all from Clemson University.

About Tri-County Technical College

Tri-County Technical College, a public two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, enrolls more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 70 major fields of study, including computer technology, industrial electronics, mechatronics, nursing, and university transfer programs. Tri-County boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities. To learn more, visit tctc.edu.