Paul T. Killpatrick new president of Seattle Central Community College
Paul Tracy Killpatrick, who has held leadership posts at colleges in several Western states, will be the next president of Seattle Central Community College. Killpatrick, who is currently Superintendent-President at Lake Tahoe Community College in California, will begin responsibilities at Seattle Central this summer.
He was selected following a national search and recommendations made by a college-wide committee to Seattle Community Colleges Chancellor Jill A. Wakefield. “Dr. Killpatrick’s strengths closely match Seattle Central,” Chancellor Wakefield said. “He has both the needed experience and a well-developed vision for building on Seattle Central’s position as a vibrant multicultural urban campus.”
Killpatrick has served as president at Lake Tahoe since 2008. For the previous six years, he was president of Great Basin College in Elko, Nev., whose campuses spanned six counties. At Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Ore., he served two years as the vice president of Instructional Support and Community Development, and four years as vice president of Instruction. Earlier, he served as dean for Professional and Career Education, and dean for Instructional Support and Special Populations at Yakima Valley Community College in Yakima, Wash., and he also held administrative and faculty positions at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore.
In his leadership positions, he has focused on establishing an institutional culture that supports economic development while also being responsive to the numerous constituencies within the college. He implemented an Honors Program, developed cross-disciplinary courses, expanded distance education and initiated a student-centered class schedule. Dr. Killpatrick has served on numerous community and higher education boards and committees. As chair of the Elko County Economic Development Authority, he helped secure funds from the state legislature to establish the Northeastern Nevada Regional Railport. He also served on the Tahoe Basin Prosperity Plan Steering Committee and the Hispanic-American and Native-American Advisory Boards at Great Basin College.
Dr. Killpatrick holds a doctorate degree in postsecondary education from Oregon State University, a master’s degree in counseling from Western Oregon State University in Monmouth, Ore., and a bachelor’s degree in social studies from Oregon State University.