South Piedmont Community College President Dr. Maria Pharr has been selected as the next president of Pitt Community College, effective August 13.
The State Board of Community Colleges approved Dr. Pharr as president of Pitt during its regular meeting on July 19.
Dr. Pharr has served as president of South Piedmont since Jan. 1, 2017.
“This is all very bittersweet. I have deep professional and personal ties to both Pitt Community College and eastern North Carolina. I am thrilled and honored to have been selected to serve as Pitt’s next president, and I cannot wait to get started. However, South Piedmont has been my home for the last seven years. I am incredibly proud of how far this College has come and the great things that still lie ahead. South Piedmont and the people of Anson and Union counties have a special place in my heart — and they always will.”
Dr. Pharr grew up only about an hour from Greenville, where Pitt Community College is located. She also earned her doctorate at East Carolina University, and prior to becoming South Piedmont’s president, she served as vice president of academic affairs at Pitt.
“This is very much a homecoming. My family and I always intended to return to eastern North Carolina at some point. To have everything – my family’s plans, my career – align with the opportunity to serve as Pitt’s next president is truly incredible. I am deeply thankful for my career path, and that it is now leading me home.”
South Piedmont Board of Trustees Chairman Bill Norwood said:
“While her time at South Piedmont has come to an end, Dr. Pharr’s contributions to this College will live on for generations to come. She has led South Piedmont with vision, heart, and unwavering dedication. Her accomplishments, to name just a few, include record enrollment growth, transformative updates and expansions to our physical locations, and national recognition for initiatives aimed at eliminating barriers to higher education. She’s been a pillar of our community, an inspiration, and a dear friend. We will greatly miss her leadership. Though we would love to have her stay at South Piedmont, we are excited for her new chapter, and we wish her all the best.”
Dr. Pharr’s last day with South Piedmont will be August 12. Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services/CFO Michelle Brock will serve as interim president after Dr. Pharr’s departure.
“It has been an honor to serve under Dr. Pharr. I am thankful for being entrusted to lead the College during this transition,” Brock said.
The College has begun the process of securing a presidential search firm. The search will commence soon.
“We are committed to a transparent, collaborative search process that will engage not only the College community but the broader community as well. We have come so far under Dr. Pharr’s leadership. It is imperative we find the ideal next president to continue our upward trajectory,” Brock said.
Updates on the search process will be issued via internal email, spcc.edu, and the College’s social media accounts.