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Category Archive: President

• Mentorship Matters

  Posted September 28, 2020 at 8:48 am

  The original column appeared in the Tribune-Democrat , written by Dr. Steve Nunez. Click here to see original sourced column. 

  When I was a young man of 19 years, I was a sophomore at my local community college. At the time, I was majoring in history and had postponed taking any science classes. But by the fall of 1990, I could no longer avoid them, and I found myself sitting in my first college biology class. It felt dreadful.

  It was here that I met my first mentor. It was in that classroom, over two semesters, that a young, excited, intelligent, fun professor taught me about the world of science in general, and biology specifically.

  I was transfixed by his engaging teaching style and interesting take on the world. As a student, I couldn’t wait to attend his class.

  But it was his kindness, his love for teaching, his individual attention and nudging, that eventually helped me turn my sights toward majoring in biology and to seek a career in science. Thank you, Dr. Bruce Gillihan.

  Mentors are just as valuable to adults. A little more than five years ago, Sauk Valley Community College hired a new president.

  He quickly won over his leadership team with his ability to relate to them, to believe in them, and to create opportunities that stretched them professionally.

  His encouragement, friendship, and faith in me eventually led me to apply, and ultimately win, this job as president at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.

  His only glaring flaw was his undying love for the Green Bay Packers, but none of us is perfect. Thank you, Dr. David Hellmich.

  When I was taking my doctoral classes on leadership and still thinking about and refining my own leadership style, I found myself thinking back to the virtues and values of my parents. They treated everyone with kindness and respect, despite any ideological differences. They taught me to be open-minded, that you could disagree without being disagreeable, that the way you communicate is as important as what you communicate.

  I hope that I carry those same virtues and values with me in my leadership role here at the college. Thank you, Patsy and Frank Nunez, or Mom and Dad, as I call you.

  Mentors come in many varieties.

  Most mentors, I believe, don’t even recognize that they are providing mentorship. In truth, mentors are just people who have taken professional interest in another person and provide guidance, much like a professional “parent,” and encourage, offer advice, and help direct or redirect a mentee’s focus.

  I look back at my life and see that I am standing on the shoulders of many who took an interest in me, who became willing mentors and nudged me (or sometimes pushed me) to be the professional and human being I am today.

  Thanks to all of you who have helped me in this journey of mine.

  Today I challenge you, the reader, to take a few minutes of your day and think of those people who may have changed your life for the better and reach out to them, if possible, to thank them.

  And, then find some time in the future to talk about and recognize them, to share those stories that celebrate their lives, with your friends and family.

  Ultimately, mentorship matters.

  ---

  Written By Dr. Steve Nunez, College’s Fifth President. This monthly series appears in The Tribune-Democrat, and will allow Dr. Nunez to provide his perspective on the value of education and of a community college. 

  

• Leadership in Time of Crisis

  Posted July 27, 2020 at 9:06 am

  The original column appeared in the Tribune-Democrat , written by Dr. Steve Nunez. Click here to see original sourced column. 

  Are leaders born or created?

  Some assume that leaders are born, that there is some intangible force that some folks have that allows them to lead people, make tough decisions, and carry the burden of leadership from birth.

  It is my opinion that leaders are not born; they are created, molded, taught, and mentored. If that’s not true, then I threw three years and several thousand dollars away when I worked on my doctorate in leadership. And I think West Point and the Naval Academy might have something to say about that, too.

  I guess it is possible that certain personality types may gravitate toward leadership more than others. For example, those with charisma, those who can command a room, may dominate leadership positions through the force of their personalities.

  But history has taught us that great leaders do not have to be charismatic; leadership is not a popularity contest.

  Good leaders can be any combination of quiet, boisterous, introspective, visionary, deliberative, thoughtful, collaborative, open, honest, transparent, decisive, and many other qualities.

  Having been in academic leadership positions for almost a decade, and having been through several crises, I fully recognize that good leadership really matters.

  And what it has taught me is that listening to a diversity of viewpoints is critical to being properly informed, that disagreement among team members is fruitful when personal agendas are set aside for the greater good, and that, once decisions are made, collaboration is critical to advancing the mission of the organization; better decisions are made together.

  Great leaders trust (and hold responsible) the people they lead.

  I spent nearly 24 years in Illinois working at a small community college. Several years ago, the state could not pass a full budget, and consequently, the financial support to community colleges was significantly delayed.

  At the time, we had a relatively new college president, who I’m sure didn’t sign up to lead a college through a financial crisis not of his making.

  But he never complained.

  Instead, he circled the wagons and engaged his team in conversation. Many small and some large decisions were made over two years to stabilize the finances of the college.

  Ultimately, I think the college learned many valuable lessons about how to work more effectively together, make transparent but tough decisions, and become more efficient overall.

  Sometimes hard choices make people understand that change is important and necessary to have a thriving organization. Ultimately, while it was stressful at the time, going through that financial crisis made that college stronger.

  Today it continues to thrive as one of the best community colleges in the nation.

  I am lucky to be surrounded by many great leaders at Penn Highlands. While their styles and viewpoints vary, they are committed to the mission of the college.

  Their commitment has been particularly important during this COVID crisis. We have learned a lot about ourselves as a college, and I believe it has made us more cohesive and efficient. And it has only reinforced my belief that leadership matters – that cohesive, effective, deliberative teams matter.

  See you at Penn Highlands.

  ---

  Written By Dr. Steve Nunez, College’s Fifth President. This monthly series appears in The Tribune-Democrat, and will allow Dr. Nunez to provide his perspective on the value of education and of a community college. 

  

• Education Key Driver For Social Change

  Posted June 29, 2020 at 10:04 am

  I write this column on June 19, or “Juneteenth,” a day that commemorates the end of slavery in our country.

  I’ve spent the past several weeks reading, listening, and watching as others spoke of the social unrest that is occurring throughout the United States.

  Being a white person and being surrounded by mostly white people for much of my life, I have been generally insulated from the reality of racism.

  Racism is just not something I understand. I’ve always lived by the motto to treat all people with kindness and respect – the color of one’s skin or ethnic differences are meaningless when it comes to how I treat someone. Instead, I judge people by their actions, by how they treat others.

  This motto, I believe, has served me well throughout my life.

  And because my own personal experiences with discrimination are rare and frail, I can only try to understand the impact of discrimination through the experiences of others – by what I read, hear, or see.

  When I was working on my doctorate degree from Ferris State University, I had the privilege of learning from amazing instructors and, as importantly, 30 other students who were community college professionals like myself.

  I particularly remember my first course, called Critical Issues in Community Colleges, as it was the most impactful for me as a leader and professional.

  At the end of one of our classes, our instructor insisted that the entire class visit the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia located on Ferris State’s campus. Considering that nearly one-third of the cohort of students were Black, I found the tour and the follow-up discussion incredibly uncomfortable.

  As we walked through the museum, we encountered example after example of racist signs, films, cartoons, books, art, and pictures. After the tour, most of the white students were quiet as we listened to our fellow Black students vividly recall how they and their family members had consistently experienced racism in modern-day America.

  Honestly, I was distraught as I listened to and then absorbed their stories.

  That single lesson was one of the most powerful I’ve ever experienced as a student, and it taught me that racism is still very real in America.

  I am a proud leader of a higher-education institution, and so it should come as no surprise that I think that education is the best way to positively impact people’s lives and to change society.

  When I ponder what action Penn Highlands can take on these issues, I’m reminded of both the college’s mission to provide affordable, quality education to our community and of the core values adopted by our employees.

  Two core values of consequence to this discussion include:

  • Informing and involving members of the college community in discussion and problem-solving at all levels in an atmosphere marked by civility and cordiality conducted with respect for personal and professional differences.
  • Developing innovative and creative responses to the region’s dynamic economic, workforce, and social needs based on interactions with all segments of the community.

  Honestly, when it comes to these complex issues of racism and discrimination, I have more questions than answers.

  While I certainly have my own thoughts and ideas on how we can advance this conversation, I have always believed the best ideas come from collaboration.

  I’m lucky that, at Penn Highlands, I am surrounded by passionate, caring, and intelligent folks. And so, using the mission and core values of the college as our guideposts, I pledge that I will use their collective intellects to discuss what the college’s next steps should be.

  I recognize that this is only a small step on a long journey, but I’m embracing the journey and I look forward to the discussions.

  See you at Penn Highlands.

  ---

  Written By Dr. Steve Nunez, College’s Fifth President. This monthly series appears in The Tribune-Democrat, and will allow Dr. Nunez to provide his perspective on the value of education and of a community college. 

  

• A Virtual New Beginning

  Posted June 1, 2020 at 10:53 am

  The original column appeared in the Tribune-Democrat , written by Dr. Steve Nunez. Click here to see original sourced column. 

  To me, the most exciting moment at the college each year is the May commencement ceremony.

  It is a celebration of the accomplishments of our graduates, where we recognize the hard work and dedication that is required to earn a credential. It is notable that the word “commencement” means “beginning” and not “ending,” as you might expect.

  It explains why so many commencement speeches include phrases such as “this is only the beginning of your journey” or “this is the beginning of an exciting, challenging, rewarding phase of your life.” Education is about a means to an end, not the end.

  I’ve been in higher education for 24 years and I have always enjoyed watching students walk across the stage at graduation, with family members hooting and hollering for their loved ones as they receive their diplomas. As an academic leader, I often had the opportunity to shake each graduate’s hand and wish them a hearty congratulations; both of us smiling uncontrollably in the moment.

  Many times, spouses, children, sisters or brothers would be waiting for them at the end of the stage to personally congratulate and embrace their loved ones as they held their newly attained diplomas. It is quite the spectacle and I loved every moment of it.

  As you might expect, commencement at Penn Highlands in 2020 was, well, much different. This year, with the help of talented and dedicated employees at the college, commencement was held virtually on May 15. The ceremony was reduced in scope with only a few of us speaking, but most importantly, we read the names of all 362 of our graduates.

  And while the ceremony was divorced from the hooting and hollering that I’m so used to and adore, it was still our privilege to orchestrate a ceremony for our graduates.

  Graduates were also informed that they could come to campus to drive by and grab their well-earned diplomas. More than 250 students visited us over several days with most coming with friends and family to celebrate their accomplishments along with our masked staff who handed them their diplomas through car windows.

  And while it wasn’t commencement, it was great to see the smiling faces of so many of our graduates.

  And so, we celebrate new beginnings for our graduates. I hope that they understand that this is not the end of their education, but that they will be reeducating and reinventing themselves throughout their lives.

  Perhaps they will earn more advanced degrees – or maybe they will partake in additional on-the-job training – or maybe they will take music lessons to learn to play an instrument. Education is more than just training for a profession – it can bring enjoyment, color, and texture to life.

  I am proud that Penn Highlands served our graduates well during this time in their lives.

  To all of our local graduates who missed out on so much of the pomp and circumstance, fun and excitement, and graduation parties – here’s to you!

  I hope you take full advantage of your education and move forward boldly into the future.

  ---

  Written By Dr. Steve Nunez, College’s Fifth President. This monthly series appears in The Tribune-Democrat, and will allow Dr. Nunez to provide his perspective on the value of education and of a community college. 

  

• Sequestered Realizations

  Posted April 26, 2020 at 3:13 pm

  The original column appeared in the Tribune-Democrat , written by Dr. Steve Nunez. Click here to see original sourced column. 

  I’m very new to Cambria County. I literally arrived here on Dec. 31, with the moving truck pulling away at midnight on New Year’s Day.

  As I have physically isolated myself over these past several weeks, I’ve had time to sit quietly and reflect more than I think I ever have. These quiet contemplations led to this Top 10 list of “sequestered realizations.”

  1. West-central Pennsylvania is one beautiful place. Having grown up in southwest Virginia, I know what beautiful landscapes look like. Here in Pennsylvania, parks and recreational areas are open for hiking and cycling as long as social distancing is practiced; I have taken advantage of it as much as I could. I must have biked and hiked 100 miles of trails over these past few weeks in the sun, rain, and even snow. We have a real treasure here.

  2. And speaking of sun, rain, and snow – this area must have the most unpredictable weather in the nation. If I had my druthers, I’d take a few more days of sunshine.

  3. Cooking at home more frequently has been inexpensive, fun, and satisfying. With that said, I can’t wait to head back to my favorite restaurants and break bread and drink beer with my friends and colleagues.

  4. TV programming has gotten much better over the past five or 10 years. While there is only so much TV one person can watch, I always seem to find another show to keep my attention.

  5. Essential workers rock. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate our essential workers, especially our health care workers who are putting themselves clearly in harm’s way. Kudos to your dedication.

  6. I really appreciate my colleagues at Penn Highlands. As a collective, they have been supportive, positive, understanding, and hard-working. I am proud to be their colleague.

  7. Moving into a new home during a pandemic is problematic.

  8. The students of Penn Highlands are rock stars. I have called several of them over the past few weeks and I’m so proud of them for the way they have adapted to taking all of their classes completely online. Many of them are also essential workers at our local restaurants and grocery stores. Thank you for what you do and let’s finish the semester strong.

  9. Most of my family and friends live outside the area. I cannot wait until I see them in person.

  10. Going back to “normal” is not going to happen overnight. We will be practicing some type of social distancing for many more months.

  But know this, despite any challenges, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is open for business and will continue to provide high-quality education to our community.

  Until next time.

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  Written By Dr. Steve Nunez, College’s Fifth President. This monthly series appears in The Tribune-Democrat, and will allow Dr. Nunez to provide his perspective on the value of education and of a community college.