Hutchison named president of Virginia Highlands Community College

Dr. Adam C. Hutchison will become the next president of Virginia Highlands Community College. He will assume the role at the beginning of 2020.

“Adam Hutchison is an impressive and seasoned higher education leader,” said Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges. “He has a remarkable record of establishing and sustaining successful workforce development programs – the kind of programs that are a growing demand in the college’s service region, and across Virginia. This is an exciting time for Virginia Highlands. Given the college’s impressive faculty and staff, I look forward to seeing what the college achieves under Adam’s leadership.”

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Adam Hutchison to both our college and our local community. Dr. Hutchison’s energy and enthusiasm for higher education will bolster our learning environment and engage our students, faculty, staff, and supporters,” said Catherine Brillhart, chair of the Virginia Highlands Community College Local Board. “His experience in workforce and economic development builds upon VHCC’s commitment to student success and community partnerships. We appreciate the work of the Presidential Search Committee in this thorough and extensive search process, and the opportunity for participation by our College Board, students, faculty, staff, Foundation Board, and community.”

Hutchison has nearly 20 years of higher education experience. He spent most of his early career at Texas State Technical College (TSTC) in Harlingen, Texas, where he served as an Aviation Maintenance Technology senior instructor and department chair (2000); associate vice president of its Corporate College (2006); the college’s chief of staff (2009); and its provost and vice president for Student Learning (2011).

Hutchison moved to the TSTC in Waco, Texas in 2014 where he worked as the college’s provost and vice president for Student Learning for eight months before transferring to the TSTC System Office to become the associate vice chancellor for Student Learning. In 2016, he returned to TSTC Waco to be the college’s provost.

Hutchison holds an associate and bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina; a master’s degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia; and a doctorate from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

“I’m honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve the students, faculty, and staff at Virginia Highlands Community College and to be a part of the VCCS,” said Hutchison.  “For more than 50 years, Virginia Highlands has met the needs of the region with quality and comprehensive education programs, and through its partnerships with schools, universities, and businesses, VHCC offers a bright future for all area residents. We’ve been so impressed with the community’s commitment to VHCC and the college’s commitment to the local community; it’s exactly the kind of place we want be. Southwest Virginia is rich in beauty, culture, and opportunity, and we are excited to make our home there.”

Hutchison’s selection marks the end of national search that attracted nearly 70 applicants. He will become the college’s seventh permanent president, succeeding Dr. Charlie White, who has served as the college’s interim president for nearly a year.

Virginia Highlands Community College provides high-quality education and related services for residents throughout its Southwest Virginia region, which includes the city of Bristol, Virginia; Washington County and the western part of Smyth County. VHCC is committed to teaching, learning & community building, and serves more than 2500 students, offering more than 80 academic areas of study.