The Tower Winter 2020 - 3

Introducing
President
Tompos
Mrs. Betty Tompos
Interim President

S

ince joining Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
I have been privileged to be a part of the evolution of
an organization that has transformed the lives of
thousands of individuals and families, and has supported
the economic and industrial growth of the City of
Lancaster, the county where we are located, and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

As interim President of the College, I am committed to
continuing to prioritize and advance our strategic
initiatives, including expanding our infrastructure and
growing our current programs as well as adding new
programs. These efforts are foundational to
accommodating a significant projected growth in our
enrollment.

During my time at Thaddeus Stevens College, I witnessed
our transition from a technical school to a two-year
College, awarding associate degrees in 24 majors today,
with plans to expand the number of our programs in the
near future. I saw the College grow from an enrollment of
250 students, to this year's enrollment of 1,300, more than
half of whom live in campus housing. I was here to
welcome the first women admitted to the College, and am
proud to see our female student population grow as
women take advantage of the success our alumni
experience following the completion of a degree from
Thaddeus Stevens College. And I have been here as we
expanded from one location - our main campus on East
King Street in Lancaster - to our current four locations, an
expansion driven by the demand by students for an
education at Thaddeus Stevens College, and by industry,
who eagerly hire nearly 100 percent of our graduates
immediately upon graduation.

Plans are progressing for the construction of a new dining
facility and a new dormitory to expand access to
on-campus housing while we renovate and repurpose
existing space. We also continue to plan for the opening of
new "Transportation Center" hub that will combine the
College's existing vehicle-related majors (automotive
technology and collision repair technology) with a new
major in diesel mechanic technology at our Greenfield
location. A focus on expanding our faculty base and
continuing to support our technical and general education
instructors with development opportunities will be critical
to supporting growth plans. And we will continue our
commitment to our community through initiatives like the
construction of the Steinman Community Center, located
adjacent to our new Greiner Advanced Manufacturing
Center on Chesapeake Street in the City of Lancaster.

When the College's Board of Trustees asked me to serve as
interim president of Thaddeus Stevens College following
the retirement of long-time president Dr. William Griscom, I
accepted the appointment, and appreciate that I was able
to hit the ground running. I will continue to provide
executive oversight for Finance and Administration is my
role as Vice President of the College, and am excited for
the opportunity to assume the responsibilities of the
presidency while the Board of Trustees conducts a national
search for a new president.

Throughout my tenure at the College, I have been
consistently impressed by our alumni. I look forward to
seeing our alumni grow in numbers as we graduate nearly
500 young men and women in May, 2020, our largest
graduating class in the history of our College. Your
connection to Thaddeus Stevens College following
graduation inspires our current students and our faculty,
and I appreciate this opportunity to express my gratitude
for all you do for the College.

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The Tower Winter 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Tower Winter 2020
