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CFCC'S Lecanto campus gets new provost

The new leader was chosen for his experience and commitment, the college's president says.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published August 31, 2006

LECANTO - Central Florida Community College has tapped a community college administrator from North Carolina to serve as provost of the Citrus campus.

The college announced Tuesday that Vernon Lawter Jr. of Belmont, N.C., will be the new leader of its Citrus branch. He starts Oct. 26.

The announcement brought to a close a nationwide search that began in June after provost Torri Lilly stepped down to become the president of South Georgia College in Douglas, Ga.

Lawter, 41, was chosen from a field of five finalists who have worked at community colleges elsewhere.

CFCC president Charles Dassance said the decision to give Lawter the job came down to his experience and commitment.

"We felt that Dr. Lawter, with his background and experience, would be a really good fit for CFCC," Dassance said. "He is someone who is a very bright guy and who has a lot of potential."

Lawter, who has experience in the manufacturing industry, first as a machinist, then as a training coordinator for Okuma America Corp. in Charlotte, N.C., has been an administrator at Mitchell Community College since 2000.

For four years, he worked as the director of industry training at the main campus in Statesville, N.C. In 2005, he became the director of an extension campus at the college with an annual enrollment of about 4,000 students.

By contrast, the Citrus campus serves about 20 percent of the total 5,800 registered students at CFCC.

Lawter said in an interview Tuesday he hopes to make a strong contribution as provost of the Citrus campus. He has visited Citrus County twice since applying for the job. For his most recent visit, he brought his wife and two children, ages 8 and 12.

"It looks like a tremendous place to raise a family," he said.

As provost, Lawter said his first priority will be to get to know the community so he can gain a better understanding of the needs of residents and employers.

Lawter holds an associate's degree from Gaston College in Dallas, N.C. He earned bachelor's and a master's degrees in English from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and a doctoral degree in education from North Carolina State University.

[Last modified August 31, 2006, 06:34:56]