2022 District 5 Pacesetter

2022 District 5 Pacesetter

Dr. Paul Illich
President
Southeast Community College
Lincoln, NE

Dr. Paul Illich is a dynamic and visionary leader who believes in data-driven decision making and the value of creating a culture of opportunity, creativity and intellectual and personal respect. He has served as president of Southeast Community College (SCC) since 2014 and is responsible for the college’s 2015-19 strategic plan, which provided direction to program development, enrollment, student success, financial management, facilities planning, and program and partnership development. 

Under Illich’s leadership, SCC completed its first comprehensive “Facilities Master Plan,” which led to more than $160 million in renovation and new construction projects, expanding the college’s ability to provide a qualified, skilled workforce and affordable access to higher education.

He has played a key role in directing SCC to remain fully operational with in-person classes during the pandemic, during which time the college experienced a slight enrollment increase – including a double-digit increase on one of its campuses.

Illich is an enthusiastic supporter of marketing and communications. When SCC developed its second five-year strategic plan, it included a goal tied to the importance of marketing and institutional promotion. The goal, called “Communication and Public Awareness,” states the college “will expand awareness of (its) programs and services through responsive and transparent communication.” As part of the goal, SCC approved a new marketing position for comprehensive and dynamic branding, marketing and promotion strategies to ensure the goal is accomplished; Illich was a key factor in the new position’s development.

In 2022, SCC received Ellucian’s Change Leadership Award, which recognizes “school leaders who led ambitious technology initiatives, successfully managing change across multiple stakeholder groups toward clear, common goals,” according to the Ellucian website. Ellucian is a student-support company out of Virginia. Illich is also the recipient of the 2022 Association of Community College Trustees’ Chief Executive Officer Award for its Western region. These regional awards recognize community colleges and their leaders who successfully meet their communities’ needs. 

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