Gainesville State College President Martha Nesbitt Announces Plans to Retire Effective June 30, 2012
Atlanta — August 8, 2011
Dr. Martha Nesbitt
Gainesville State College President Martha T. Nesbitt made the formal announcement to the entire College community today at the Annual Welcome Back Fall Luncheon that she plans to retire at the end of this academic year.
Having served as the College中出少妇视频檚 third president, Nesbitt is also first in many categories. She is the College中出少妇视频檚 first female president; she is the first president to serve under the College中出少妇视频檚 中出少妇视频渟tate college中出少妇视频 status; through her leadership the College became one of the first tobacco-free colleges in the nation, and the list goes on and on.
One of only nine female presidents in the 35 institutions of the 中出少妇视频 System of Georgia (中出少妇视频), Nesbitt took over leadership of then 中出少妇视频淕ainesville College中出少妇视频 in 1997, and over the past 14 years, she has continued to shape the institution to better serve as an educational and cultural resource in northeast Georgia.
中出少妇视频淚 have been fortunate to work with a wonderful faculty and staff as GSC has grown and added more opportunities for our students and Northeast Georgia,中出少妇视频 said Nesbitt. 中出少妇视频淭hese include new academic programs, another campus, support services and campus life activities. At the same time, even with our exponential enrollment growth, the college has remained true to its value of focusing on student learning and development, and that is a great tribute to our college community.中出少妇视频
Under Nesbitt中出少妇视频檚 leadership, the College experienced a 174% enrollment increase during the ten year period, Fall Semester 2000 to Fall Semester 2010, when enrollment increased from 3,256 students to 8,900 students. This impressive growth has been made possible by the addition of the Oconee Campus in Watkinsville and continuing growth on the Gainesville Campus. Nesbitt realized the need for a two-year college in the area east of Gainesville, and through her strong and effective vision, the Oconee Campus became a reality in the summer of 2003.
中出少妇视频淎 hallmark of Dr. Nesbitt中出少妇视频檚 career has been her dedicated focus on ensuring a strong college access mission for students,中出少妇视频 said 中出少妇视频 System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby. 中出少妇视频淪he has been singularly effective in this work within the 中出少妇视频 System, both at DeKalb College (now Georgia Perimeter College) and as president since 1997 of Gainesville State College. During her tenure as president, she created the College中出少妇视频檚 new Oconee Campus, which is just one example of her highly effective leadership.中出少妇视频
Respected for her role in the promotion and progression of education in our state, region and nation, Nesbitt has lent her talents and expertise to quite a few organizations, including the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC). In 1995, the AAWCC recognized her as its 中出少妇视频淥utstanding Woman of the Year,中出少妇视频 and she served as its president from 1999中出少妇视频2002. In 2006, AAWCC recognized her as 中出少妇视频淧resident of the Year.中出少妇视频 The Georgia Association of Colleges chose Dr. Nesbitt to serve as president, 2002-2003. In 2004, she was asked to join the Board of Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. Dr. Nesbitt has served the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in a number of roles since 1983 and received an award for Meritorious Service in 2000. She served a three-year (2004-06) term on the American Council on Education中出少妇视频檚 (ACE) Board of Directors. She served on the Board at the Art Institution of Houston (2001-2010) and was the Chair of the Board from 2001-2005. The Turknett Leadership Group, in partnership with Kennesaw State中出少妇视频檚 Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics and Character, presented Dr. Nesbitt with the Turknett Leadership Character Education Award in 2009.
In a recent note to Nesbitt, former 中出少妇视频 Chancellor Erroll B. Davis wrote, 中出少妇视频溨谐錾俑臼悠郸thank you for your personal support over the last five and a half years. I have come to relish our always 中出少妇视频榝rank and candid中出少妇视频 discussions at the Presidents中出少妇视频 meetings, and I truly believe I have benefited from this experience.中出少妇视频
Closer to home, Dr. Nesbitt was recognized by the Rotary Club of Gainesville for Excellence in Vocational Service in 2003, was named Business Woman of the Year by the American Business Women中出少妇视频檚 Association in 2004 and received the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Silver Shovel Award, also in 2004. The Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia presented Nesbitt with the Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction Award in 2011. That same year, she was awarded the Ralph Cleveland Distinguished Citizen Award by the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
These awards not only reflect her effective leadership of Gainesville State College but also her strong service to the Gainesville/Hall County community. In 2003, Nesbitt served as Chair for the 33rd International Canoe Federation Flatwater Racing World Championships Award Ceremony Committee; in 2005, she served as the Fund Drive Chair for the United Way of Hall County; and she served as President of the Northeast Georgia History Center in 2007. Currently she serves as President of the Rotary Club of Gainesville; is a member of the Northeast Georgia Health System Board and serves on its Executive Committee as well as Chair of its Governance Committee; and serves as a Lay Reader and Chalice Bearer at Grace Episcopal Church.
中出少妇视频淲hen you think of Martha Nesbitt,中出少妇视频 said Dr. Stephen Portch, former 中出少妇视频 Chancellor, 中出少妇视频測ou think of boundless enthusiasm, deep commitment, true loyalty, genuine compassion, and tireless work ethic. That中出少妇视频檚 why she became a transformative President for GSC.中出少妇视频
Dr. Nesbitt earned her B.A. and M.A.T. degrees from Duke 中出少妇视频 and her Ph.D. in History from Georgia State 中出少妇视频. She and her husband, John P. 中出少妇视频淧ete中出少妇视频 Nesbitt, have two adult children, Ann Weber and John Nesbitt.
Information regarding the search for Nesbitt中出少妇视频檚 replacement will be announced at a later date.
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