2026 District 4 Pacesetter
Jason L. Morrison
President
Trinity Valley Community College
Texas
Why is it important for college leadership to support its marketing and communications department?
I believe effective college leadership must be centered on the team rather than the individual. A college is too complex and too important to be driven by one person. The president can provide vision and direction, but it is the collective work of the team that brings that vision to life. When leadership creates a culture of trust, collaboration, accountability and shared ownership, people understand that they are not simply performing individual jobs; they are contributing to something larger than themselves.
That philosophy is particularly important when it comes to marketing and communications. I do not view marketing and communications as simply another department within the organizational structure of a college. It is an institutional entity that transcends the entire college. It is one of the primary ways an institution creates its vibe, communicates its brand, establishes its identity and builds a recognizable culture.
Every division and department across a college may have its own responsibilities and expectations, but marketing and communications has the unique responsibility of helping connect all of those efforts into a common institutional story. It takes the expectations, accomplishments, priorities and identity being established throughout the college and gives them a theme, a voice, a visual identity and a narrative.
How have you helped advance community/technical colleges on a regional or national level?
My life and career have been dedicated to uplifting community college students. When I think about advancing community colleges regionally or nationally, I don’t make that story about myself. I measure advancement by whether the student in front of me has more opportunity than they had before they walked through our doors.
My goal has always been to advance that student. When a student earns a credential, transfers to a university, enters a career, or becomes a leader in their community, we have advanced the community college mission. And the impact reaches far beyond that individual. One student’s success can change an entire family’s expectations, opportunities and trajectory for generations.
So when I think about advancing community colleges, I do not start with the institution. I start with the student. At Trinity Valley Community College, and at every institution I have had the privilege of serving, that philosophy has shaped how I lead. We work to create an environment where students know they belong, where they know their dreams are legitimate, and choosing a community college does not mean choosing less. It means choosing an institution committed to helping them achieve more.
Who is someone who’s mentored you during your career? What’s a piece of advice or story they’ve shared that you carry with you?
When I think about mentorship throughout my career, I don’t think about one person who sat down with me and gave me a single piece of advice that defined my leadership. I have tried to absorb something from every person I’ve had the privilege of serving alongside. I carry a piece of each of them with me. Their influence has helped shape how I think, how I lead, how I treat people and, ultimately, the kind of president and chancellor I strive to be.
But if I had to identify the greatest mentors and the greatest source of light in my life, it would be my family. My wife, Stephanie, has been an incredible influence on me. She has one of the kindest hearts I have ever known. She is optimistic, compassionate and deeply committed to creating opportunities for others. She reminds me that leadership is ultimately about people and not titles, accomplishments or recognition.
And then there is my daughter, Brennan. Everything I do ultimately comes back to the example I want to set for her. I hope that one day, when she looks back on my career and the way I served students, employees, institutions and communities, she doesn’t simply see the titles I held or the things I accomplished. I hope she simply says, “That was my dad.”