News Article

Dr. Jeffery Allbritten named President of Macon State College

May 9, 2011


 

 

 

Collier Campus President to Lead Macon State College

 

May 6, 2011 – NAPLES, FLA. – The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) today named Dr. Jeffery S. Allbritten, president, Collier County Campus of Edison State College as the sixth president of Macon State College in Macon.

 

“Dr. Allbritten’s career demonstrates his dedication to academic excellence and student success,” said USG chief operating officer Robert Watts. “We are looking forward to the contribution he will make to Macon State College and the University System of Georgia.”

 

Regent Mansfield Jennings, chair of the Special Regents’ Committee for the presidential search at Macon State College, added that Allbritten’s “history of leadership in higher education both in Florida and Tennessee is impressive. The committee is convinced that Dr. Allbritten possesses the necessary leadership skills and is extremely confident in his readiness to lead Macon State College.”

 

“Dr. Allbritten has been an outstanding president of the Collier Campus and I will personally miss working with him.  I am grateful for the growth he brought to the Collier Campus, and for the leadership he provided in bringing recognition and community involvement to the campus,” said Dr. Kenneth Walker, District President, Edison State College. “I was proud to announce his appointment to that position eight years ago and now I am proud of his achievement of obtaining his own college presidency.  The philosophy of servant leadership requires that we help others to develop their knowledge and skills, and to grow in their careers.  I promised Dr. Allbritten several years ago that I would help him achieve his goal of obtaining his own college presidency.  He proved his abilities as a campus president at Collier, and he has earned the promotion to a full presidency.  I wish for him a very successful presidency and I will keep in touch with him over the years to come.

 

"Dr. Walker has been very supportive of my desire to obtain my own college presidency over the past several years.  I appreciate his mentoring during my eight years at Edison and the encouragement he has provided to me as I have continued to serve as a part of his leadership team,” said Dr. Allbritten. “I wish only the best for Edison State College as it moves forward to celebrate its  50th anniversary next year.  I will miss this campus and this community but I am looking forward to the future and providing leadership to Macon State College."

 

At Macon State College, Dr. Allbritten will assume his post on July 1, 2011, replacing President Dr. David A. Bell, who will step down as president, effective June 30, 2011. Dr. Bell has served Macon State College in this role since 1997.

 

During his tenure at Edison State College, Dr. Allbritten has successfully expanded enrollment and course offerings, as well as the campus itself.  Working diligently to cultivate community and corporate partnerships, Dr. Allbritten has been instrumental in the expansion of campus facilities to accommodate innovative programming.  In 2008, the University of Florida NCEF Pediatric Dental Center and the NCEF Early Childhood Development Center opened on the Edison State College Collier Campus.  In 2010, ground was broken on two important facilities currently under construction: The Student Services Building and the Allen & Marla Weiss Health Sciences Hall (Opening  late 2011).  Also in 2010, Dr. Allbritten advanced an application for the creation of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) focused charter school to the Collier County School Board.  Unanimously approved, plans are currently underway to bring an Edison Collegiate High School to Collier County.   

 

Dr. Allbritten is very active in the community, serving on a number of boards.  Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Economic Development Council of Collier County, the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, and the German-American Business Chamber of Florida.  He is an Advisory Board Member for Eden Florida and the SWFL Holocaust Museum.  He also serves on the Editorial Board for Business Currents Magazine.

Prior to his appointment at the Collier County Campus of Edison State College, Dr. Allbritten was the director of Pines Center Campus of Broward College, a comprehensive community college serving Broward County in southeast Florida, from 2000-2003.

 

Dr. Allbritten served as dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Florida State College at Jacksonville, the second largest college in Florida with 80,000 students, from 1999 to 2000. Prior to his arrival in Florida, he was associate dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, from 1995 to 1999.

 

Dr. Allbritten holds a Doctor of Arts degree in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, a master of science degree in mathematics from Murray State University, Murray, Ky., and a bachelor of science degree in chemistry, also conferred by Murray State University.

 

The Edison State College Collier Campus, 7007 Lely Cultural Parkway, is located off Collier Boulevard, three miles north of Tamiami Trail East.

#####

 

Celebrating nearly 50 years of excellence, Edison State College is Southwest Florida’s largest, most accessible and most affordable institution of higher education. Proud to be tobacco-free, Edison State serves more than 24,000 students per year in five counties and online.  For more information please visit www.edison.edu.

 

For media inquiries contact, Teresa Morgenstern

(239) 732-3901; Mobile: (239) 821-3978

                                                                E: tmorgenstern@edison.edu

 

 

Last Updated: May 9, 2011

Back to News Archives