Hello from Ferrum College!
The leaves have fallen after one of the most beautiful falls we have had in my time at Ferrum College. We are moving quickly towards the end of the fall semester, and I wanted to make sure to share with you some updates here at the College.
For those of you who I have not had the pleasure to meet yet, my name is Kevin Reilly and I am the vice president for Academic Affairs at Ferrum College. As you have likely heard, Dr. David Johns recently announced his decision to resign as president of Ferrum College. You can read the announcement here.
During this transition, I have been asked by the Board of Trustees to serve as the College’s chief operating officer. With the support of an incredibly talented Executive Team, I am honored to serve in this capacity over the coming weeks until an interim president is announced. I would also like to thank Dr. Johns for his leadership and contributions to Ferrum College over the past five years, including most notably guiding the College through the COVID-19 pandemic. I have worked closely with Dr. Johns during his time at Ferrum, and I appreciated his mentorship and his friendship greatly during this time.
A little about me: I have been at Ferrum College for over 20 years. I began as a faculty member in the Psychology program. During my time as faculty, I am most proud to have won the Faculty of the Year Award three times and the Advisor of the Year Award twice by student vote. After eight years as a faculty member, I was appointed the dean of Social Sciences and Professional Studies. I served in this role for eight years. I then served as assistant vice president for Academic Affairs. I was promoted to vice president of Academic Affairs in October of 2021. I have served proudly in this role since then.
During the time I serve as chief operating officer, my goal is simply to provide stability for Ferrum. I have been telling our faculty, staff, and students that it is “Business as usual”. We have a lot of work to do, and our Executive Team is continuing to move forward with strategic planning while we continue to serve our students at the highest level possible. I am honored to serve in this role for as long as it takes to find the right interim president for Ferrum College, and I am excited to continue to work for the College and the community that my wife and I fell in love with so many years ago.
With change comes opportunity, and I am excited at the opportunities that lie ahead for Ferrum College. Over the coming weeks, you will hear a lot about what we are doing to move the College forward. We will be rolling out a new website, implementing new initiatives, and raising funds for student scholarships as part of #GivingTuesday on November 29. Thank you for your support and good energy as we embark on this leadership transition for the College. If I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
With Panther Pride,
Dr. Kevin P. Reilly
Vice President for Academic Affairs
