CCC presidential candidates visit Clovis

Three candidates for the Clovis Community College president position explored the area and were interviewed by the college’s trustees last week.

Each candidate was given the opportunity to speak with several employee constituencies and the public before meeting with trustees.

Each candidate was questioned by elected officials, representatives from Cannon Air Force Base and the public.

After those public forums, the audience was encouraged to fill out a survey so they could give feedback for trustees review.

“All the information will be presented to the board and they will use your information and input to make a final decision,” Marcus Smith told those in attendance. “So every single candidate will have feedback from our faculty and staff but also our community members, elected officials and Cannon representatives.”

Smith is dean of student services and government relations at CCC.

Here’s an overview of each candidate who visited Clovis last week:

Jonathan Fuentes

Serving as vice president of academic partnerships for seven years at Odessa College in Odessa, Texas, Fuentes said he is no stranger to living in a rural community.

In his current role Fuentes deals with dual credit, recruitment and outreach, advising and extension areas. Fuentes said he serves 13 counties with his community college, which results in a lot of traveling.

Fuentes said his biggest goal is figuring out how to deliver education to rural areas.

In addition to his current position, Fuentes has worked in education for 15 years and has five years in state and local government as well. He said he has mainly worked with education policies in his 20-year career.

Fuentes was an assistant superintendent of business and support service at Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District and an executive director for extension areas for Odessa College.

“It’s really important for me to get to know the community college and the area. I think it’s really important to honor the good work that is happening. … I definitely want to look for opportunities for growth too,” Fuentes said.

Fuentes said if he is selected he wants to take the opportunity to really learn about the college and explore opportunities it can excel at before he addresses a vision for the school.

Barbara Beebe

President of Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas, for 12 years, Beebe said she is originally from Massachusetts, but has always had a soft spot for rural communities.

Beebe said she works really hard to create “a family environment” in whatever facility she works at and often leaves an open-door policy. She said she believes she can handle some of the “angst” CCC has been receiving in the past couple of years since searching for a new president.

“At the end of your life you’re not gonna say ‘I wish I worked another week.’ Your family and your life is very important. … I really think it’s based on relationships and trust and I think I can do a really good job bringing everybody together,” Beebe said.

If selected CCC’s next president, Beebe said she wants to know everyone at the college at a personal level.

Beebe said as president for WTC, she has a lot of knowledge in connecting workforce development between colleges and the community. She said the key aspect in workforce development is getting the two entities “to work hand-to-hand.”

She said she plans to build strong connections with everyone in the area and build an advisory committee to address local shortages.

Morgan Phillips

Currently a vice chancellor for academic excellence at Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., Phillips has served PCC for nearly 10 years.

Phillips has carried a long history of leadership roles at several community colleges. With his 30-year academic career beginning in Valencia College at Orlando, Fla., he served as an academic dean for the mathematics department.

He was also vice president of academic and student affairs for eight years at Southeastern Community College in Southeastern North Carolina.

“In all of these cases, my focus has always been how I can improve the lives of the students in my institution and how I can work with the local community to improve things that are happening in the local community,” Phillips said.

Phillips said his years spent at PCC has helped him immensely understand the budgeting process, institutional research areas or planning processes that will be expected of him if selected CCC president.

With PCC, Philip has been able to grow the campus’ aviation programs to be nationally recognized, he said.

At PCC Phillip said he was also able to communicate with the local Air Force base there, to make aviation programs for the school. He said he is accustomed with working with the military and looks forward to continuing that bond with Cannon Air Force Base.

Interviews with two other candidates are scheduled this week:

• Christopher Beitmeyer (Thursday), former president of Clatsop Community College in Astoria, Ore.

• Bryan Newton (Friday), vice president for enrollment management and student services at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, Md.

Candidates are looking to fill the position last held by Charles Nwankwo who was placed on administrative leave in August 2022 and resigned in February 2023.