Pete Sercer named Commissioner Emeritus after 27 years of service to Midlands Technical College
October 24, 2016
The Midlands Technical College Commission officially named Dr. Pete Sercer as Commissioner Emeritus upon his retirement from the MTC Board of Trustees October 19. With 27 years of service on the board, Sercer is the longest-serving commissioner in the college’s history.
“It’s been a great honor to serve with Pete on the MTC commission,” said Commission Chair Robby Wilkins of Lexington County. “His impact on the college will be long lasting.”
Sercer has devoted his life to his community, developing citizens of character dedicated to serving their community and nation. Irmo High School, where Sercer was Director of the Air Force JROTC Program, named its Air Force JROTC Center the Colonel Pete Sercer AFJROTC Annex.
Sercer was Chair of the MTC Commission from 1995-1997, and from 2003-2005.
“Pete’s learned guidance has been an immense asset not only to Midlands Technical College, but to South Carolina and the nation,” said MTC President Dr. Ronald L. Rhames. “His commitment to technical education is unparalleled and his accomplishments as a trustee reflect his commitment to making college accessible to everyone.”
Since 1995, Sercer has been an active member of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). His membership includes time spent as Director and Chair for the ACCT’s Southern Region and the ACCT Corporate Council Subcommittee. In 2007, he was elected to the national post as ACCT Secretary-Treasurer. In 2010, he was elected ACCT National Chair.
As chair, Dr. Sercer was known for his strong coordination of legislative advocacy, as well as his stressing partnerships and initiatives that bring community college, non-profit, and industry representatives together. Sercer was among the community college leaders who guided the 18-month development of the Voluntary Framework of Accountability, the principal accountability framework for community colleges. He also helped coordinate the first ACCT Summit on Completion.
“He’s one of the most decent, hard-working people I’ve ever met,” said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a former Sercer student. “He has a gift for motivating young people and inspiring them to bring out the best that the person has to offer.”
A resident of Irmo, Sercer continues to emphasize publicly that community colleges are among our most important education institutions.
About Midlands Technical College
Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a comprehensive, multi-campus, public, two-year college serving Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties of South Carolina. The fifth-largest provider of higher education in South Carolina and the largest provider of transfer students to four-year colleges and universities in the state, MTC enrolls approximately 16,000 credit students annually. The college’s Corporate and Continuing Education program, one of the largest and most comprehensive in the Southeast, annually has 30,000 enrollments and provides continuing education to hundreds of area businesses each year. MIDLANDSTECH.EDU
