Bruce Scism Selected Interim President at Volunteer State

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan has selected Bruce Scism to serve as interim president of Volunteer State Community College beginning Oct. 1.

Scism, currently the vice president for Academic Affairs at Vol State in Gallatin, will assume the leadership role following the departure of Vol State President Warren Nichols, who is recommended to be appointed vice chancellor for community colleges at the TBR Central Office in Nashville.

“Dr. Scism has outstanding references and a strong record of service at Vol State,” said TBR Chancellor John Morgan. “I believe he will continue providing excellent leadership while we search for a permanent president.”

“Dr. Scism has led our college through many new initiatives and programmatic areas,” said Nichols. “Bruce has my full confidence to fulfill the position of interim president and will serve our students, faculty, staff and community very well.”

Scism joined Vol State in January 2008. In his time there he has led the development and implementation of the school’s general education core and program assessment plans, initiated service learning efforts, and implemented International Studies and Study Abroad programs.

Before coming to Tennessee, Scism served as chief academic officer at Lee College in Baytown, Texas, where he was responsible for the college’s Academic Affairs, including transfer and technology/vocational programs and workforce development. His other executive roles include vice president of Academic Affairs and Student Services at Triton College in Illinois and associate vice president of Instructional Technology at the same institution.

He holds a doctorate in education from the University of Illinois and earned both his master’s and bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University.

The TBR is the nation’s sixth largest higher education system, governing 46 post-secondary educational institutions. The TBR system includes six universities, 13 community colleges and 27 technology centers, providing programs in 90 of Tennessee’s 95 counties to more than 200,000 students.