GADSDEN, AL – Gadsden State Community College has announced that President Dr. Kathy Murphy has accepted the position of president at Wallace Community College in Dothan, Alabama. Murphy will begin her new role at Wallace Dothan on June 1.

“It has been my honor to serve as President at Gadsden State since January 2021, and I will miss our wonderful college, our exceptional faculty and staff, and, of course, our amazing students. During the past four years, we have experienced so many successes including increased scholarships, increased enrollment, increased credit hour production, increased retention, additional apprenticeships and worked-based learning opportunities, and enhanced security,” said Dr. Murphy.

“In addition, through capital projects, our college has invested significant resources in creating a better learning environment of students. Our top three investments have been the new Advanced Manufacturing Center, new baseball and softball fields, and the renovation of Wallace Hall. There is so much more to come, and I cannot wait to hear about Gadsden State’s progress and future successes,” Dr. Murphy continued.

Alan Smith, Vice President of Capital Projects, Community Relations, and Workforce Development, will serve as interim president, effective June 1. Smith has been with the College since 2019, stepping into the role as Dean of Workforce Development. He has played a critical role in guiding the college’s strategic growth. His leadership has been instrumental in securing and managing over $38 million in investments in career technical education-including the Advanced Manufacturing and Workplace Skills Training Center.

“This is an incredible honor that I embrace with great enthusiasm. My connection to this college spans more than three decades, beginning with my time as a business student at Gadsden State,” said Smith.

Gadsden State is one of the twelve community colleges that is designated as a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and is nationally recognized as a Historically Black Community College (HBCC). Gadsden State’s Valley Street campus opened its doors as Gadsden Vocational Trade School, a private vocational training school for African Americans founded by Eugene N. Prater in the 1960s. In 1972, the school was renamed Gadsden State Technical Institute, and in 1977, was designated as a HBCU by the U.S. Department of Education.

For more information about Gadsden State, visit http://www.gadsdenstate.edu.

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