Snead State Community College recently appointed a familiar face into a new role.
Snead State President Dr. Joe Whitmore announced Business Division Director and Instructor Vann Scott has stepped into the position of Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs. Mr. Scott will temporarily fill the role left vacant by the retirement of Dr. Annette Cederholm.
“It was critical for Snead State to bring in someone to provide assistance through some immediate challenges, and with his leadership experience and his dedication to Snead State, Vann Scott is a great choice to guide the College through this transition. His commitment to students’ success will serve Snead State well, and I believe he will excel in this new role,” said Dr. Whitmore.
Mr. Scott said he was surprised when Dr. Whitmore asked him to consider the position on an interim basis back in December.
“Dr. Whitmore said he wanted someone familiar with Snead and the faculty to assume the role and that he felt someone already working here would be best. I was very honored to be considered, but I asked for some time to think and pray about the situation before I made a decision.”
Mr. Scott has been serving at Snead State since 1993, first as a part-time instructor and then as a full-time instructor beginning in 1996. In addition to being an instructor, he has served as Division Director for Business as well as Fine Arts and Computer Science and Technology.
In addition to serving at the College, he’s also served the community as a Boaz City Councilman from 1992-1006 and from 2021-2016. A 1981 graduate of Snead State Junior College, Mr. Scott earned a Bachelor’s degree in History with a double minor in English and Political Science and a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Business, both from Jacksonville State University. As part of his responsibilities at Snead State, he has served as co-sponsor of Phi Beta Lambda, an organization for students interested in the fields of Business and Economics, and as the sponsor for the College Bowl team.
Assuming the position of Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, Mr. Scott said he sees this position as an unexpected opportunity to grow in his professional career.
“After conferring with my wife (Tracey) and doing a lot of introspection and praying, I decided to accept the job. I felt that I had been presented with an opportunity to help the College during a challenging time and, at the same time, had an opportunity to challenge myself professionally that I never expected.
“I love Snead State and have always tried to do my part to help the students and serve our local community. Stepping into this role will hopefully give me the chance to help and serve at an even greater level.”
Though he has taken on this new role, Mr. Scott will continue to be a presence in the classroom. “I love to teach, and I love to work with students one on one. I didn’t want to lose that, so when Dr. Whitmore said that I could continue to teach a few classes each semester, I felt that it was a perfect fit. I still get to work with students directly, but I also get to work more with the faculty and staff in a broader context as we carry out the academic functions of the College. I love interaction with students. It’s one of the best things about working at Snead.”
One particular challenge he expects to face in his new role is learning about and dealing with issues at a much larger scope than what he’s dealt with before. As Division Director, his responsibilities have included administrative duties such as scheduling, personnel issues, and accreditation documentation. As Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, his responsibilities are on a greater scale.
“Now, I’m responsible for the whole academic side of the school and not just my division. It will be a challenge, but I’ve got a great group of people to work with, and I’m counting on them for a lot of help. I’m privileged to have a great administrative assistant in Tonya Clowdus, who has over 25 years of experience in the Academic Office. I’m going to lean on her expertise a lot during this transition. I say this all the time, and I really believe it: Snead has the best faculty and staff of any two-year school in the state of Alabama,” he said.
Mr. Scott said his immediate goal as the Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs is to help the College carry out the Spring semester in the best way possible. The College began the semester by having a few classes returning to face-to-face meetings, and others are planning to resume face-to-face class options as the semester progresses. Students coming to campus are required to adhere to COVID-19 safety procedures, such as wearing face coverings and social distancing.
“It’s important we give students the best possible experience as they come back to campus for face-to-face classes and other activities. Snead offers tremendous online and virtual learning opportunities. The faculty has done a wonderful job dealing with the limitations caused by COVID-19, but we want to be able to teach and interact with students in our classrooms. At the same time, we’re going to be safe and do everything we can to keep the students and faculty and staff healthy and protected.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to lead the faculty, and I’m going to do my best to give them the tools and encouragement that they need to deliver the best education possible to our students. I’m really grateful to Dr. Whitmore for having the confidence in me to give me this opportunity.
“As a Snead alum, I have great memories of my time here as a student. I had great teachers, met great people and formed great friendships. I developed a love for learning that has continued through my life. I hope to use this new role to help our current students do the same.”
Snead State will post the job for a permanent replaced for the Vice President of Academic Affairs at a later date.