As chancellor of Ozarks Technical Community College, Hal Higdon works both on- and off-campus to increase the school’s reach – and his efforts seem to be paying off.
Higdon joined OTC in 2006, becoming the school’s second president. Since then, he’s played an instrumental role in the school’s growth. OTC reported 15,212 students on the first day of the fall semester, up roughly 44 percent from fall 2005, the year before Higdon took office.
“In his five years with the college, Dr. Higdon has focused on the adoption of a new strategic plan that includes an emphasis on work force training and community responsiveness. These efforts have seen a major increase in the scope of short-term work force training, a major increase in online academic instruction, and new allied health programs,” says J. Howard Fisk, chairman of the OTC Board of Trustees. “(His) commitment is not only to OTC, but also to the education of the citizens of the community, and to the improvement of the economy and quality of life in the Springfield area.”
Higdon has led the school through multiple expansion efforts, not only on the Springfield campus but throughout the Ozarks. OTC opened its Richwood Valley campus in 2007, and its Lebanon Center, made possible by a $2.6 million gift from Reuben and Mary Lou Casey, opened Aug. 22. The school’s Table Rock campus is expected to open in Hollister in 2013.
“I would say that the growth of OTC is a testament to the strength of the institution,” Higdon says, pointing to the school’s team effort.
A willingness to work as part of a team is the key to being a leader, Higdon says.
“I’ve always tried to make sure that as a leader, I exhibit behaviors that I like to see in others,” Higdon said. “One of the most important things that I look for is people who are collaborative. I try to be collaborative, and I try to encourage my folks to be collaborative.”
Higdon, who came to OTC from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, has made abundant connections in the Ozarks and Missouri. He serves on the boards of directors of United Way of the Ozarks and Urban Districts Alliance, and on the community relations board of the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners. At the state level, Higdon is chairman of the Presidents and Chancellors Council of the Missouri Community College Association, which represents community college interests in the state legislature and with other agencies.
“It’s important for leaders to be civically engaged if they’re going to be successful,” Higdon says. “I have tried to give others the tools to allow them to be successful themselves.”
From 2011 Men of the Year[[In-content Ad]]
