Longtime Texarkana College Board of Trustee Member Resigns
Texarkana College Trustee Terry Taylor announced his resignation from the Board on Monday after serving as a member for over a decade.
The seven- member board is accepting letters of interest from Bowie County residents through May 15, 2017, to fill the term until the next TC election, which will be held November 2018.
“The TC Board of Trustees is a great group of professionals who love Texarkana College, and I have been very proud to be a part of this progressive group of individuals,” Taylor said. “Texarkana College is truly a great place for students of all ages to start or start over. I count my years of service as a joy and inspiration and am honored to have been able to serve.”
Taylor said that since 2007 when he first joined the Board, he has seen a great deal of progress in expansion of scholarship programs and initiatives that help students overcome completion barriers. He believes that the work TC does to remain affordable while providing excellent higher education instruction is central to sustaining the region’s economy and providing our employers with a skilled workforce.
“I firmly believe that the College is in very great and capable hands under the leadership of President Russell and through the work of our experienced TC faculty and staff, who provide unprecedented learning opportunities for our community,” Taylor said. “Over the last five years, I have watched as the College has moved the needle toward higher student completion rates, a solid financial statement, and the hiring of some of the area’s most talented instructors. I could not be more proud of the state of the College than I am now.”
Kyle Davis, TC Board of Trustees President, said Taylor has been a huge asset to the Texarkana College Board of Trustees. “He is a solid leader and a quiet man,” said Davis. “He listens intently and chooses his words very wisely. When he speaks up, the entire Board listens and likes what he has to say. He is an outstanding community leader. We will miss him greatly.”
In addition to his service with TC, Taylor serves as a newly elected Bishop for the Church of the Living God, District 1. As the Presiding Prelate, his work entails working with community churches throughout the state of Arkansas including Little Rock, Fort Smith, Wilton, Jonesboro, Forrest City, Marianna, and Texarkana. His nineteen years of service to ministry has been celebrated at the local and state level.
Taylor is also employed as the principal for Texarkana Arkansas Independent School District’s Washington Academy. The school, which opened in 2013, provides an alternative learning environment choice for students within TASD and provides students with options for credit recovery, small class sizes, more one-on-one instruction, and vocational and career opportunities.
“This is my 32nd year in the field of education, and I firmly believe that every student can learn and deserves the best possible opportunity to succeed,” said Taylor. “At Washington Academy, four areas of student development are emphasized: attendance, attitude, academics and achievement. Laying a positive foundation through these principles helps students stay focused and take steps toward a rewarding career or college pathway. Education is key to a better future.”
Taylor said that he has seen firsthand the difference education makes in people’s lives, and this is the reason why he has served TC for ten years.
“I am now, and always will be an advocate for learning,” Taylor said. “I will continue to support the great work TC does and will help foster a college-going culture for our region. It’s what I do; it’s what I love.”
For information about submitting a letter of interest to serve on the TC Board of Trustees, please contact Mindy Preston at Texarkana College by calling 903-823-3198 or by email at mindy.preston@texarkanacollege.edu. The Board will consider applicants through May 15, 2017.