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Students are expecting something to happen here.
They really are. And you have an obligation; I have an obligation to make that happen.
The 2012 President of the Year – Dr. Mary Ritling
Davidson County Community College.
You can’t do this job unless you believe in it.
Mary is great at what she does because she believes in what she does.
She’ll tell you all the time you’ve got to believe in what you do and
you got to have passion for it.
My passion to do this job really comes from my grandmothers.
They were both Polish immigrants. My one grandmother raised 12 children.
She became an American citizen and she was very proud of this country.
My other grandmother, my father’s mother, also a Polish immigrant unfortunately could
not read or write. And so as a child I saw her make an X.
They obviously went through a lot of struggles but it was their strength,
their will that I think gave me an incredible inspiration.
I guess I have to say jenkuya to my grandmothers for making me the woman I am.
Since 2003, Dr. Ritling has served as president of Davidson County Community college.
She came so full of ideas at a time where we really needed it in our county.
Because at the time that she came it was only a few months or maybe a few weeks
after she was hired that it was announced that our furniture industries were closing.
In response, the college began offering new programs
such as advanced manufacturing technology. These efforts to retrain displaced workers
have garnered national attention including a visit by the
vice president.
Dr. Ritling has made it her mission to transform the college into a truly student-centered
institution.
She pushed us to really think about what a student experiences here and what different
students experience here.
So we had to really think about the different categories of students
and what it would take to help that student navigate the process as easily as possible.
I think that the student experience and what they should receive from us
is at the fore front of all of her thinking. And it doesn’t matter what we’re addressing
whether it’s a roadway or a classroom issue or the way a student
comes through the door it’s all about what will be best for them.
She’s actually hands-on, she cares. The students are her main priority.
Everything else comes second.
I think one of the big things that she’s done since she came here was to bring athletics
on campus.
It really got the students more engaged in the college atmosphere
and of course that got the faculty and staff to follow along.
Really kind of got us all engaged in what it really means
to be student focused and student centered. And looking at not only what we do in the
classroom for students but what we do outside the classroom.
Mary congratulations on behalf of the board of trustees.
I’ve known for almost a decade how committed you are to student success,
but in the last year I’ve truly seen it in action. Thank you.
I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the team and for all the support that you’ve
given me.
There’s nobody more deserving than you to get this award.
Great job, Mary. What’s our next project?
I’ve always had a dream and that dream was to make a difference and so I want to thank
all those wonderful folks out there that have
stood behind me through my journey. …my husband, Jim. You are just the most
important thing in my life and my kids. The campus, the faculty, the staff,
the president’s team, the board of trustees that believe in me.
and most importantly I thank the students. Thank you all so very much.
It really means a lot to me.
Ritling 3:06 “But I think the thing that I’m most proud
of is that we did it as a team.”