During the Southwestern Community College (SWCC) regular board meeting, held Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at 5:30 p.m., in the Administration Center on the SWCC Creston campus, Lindsay Stoaks of Lenox was appointed as interim president of the college.
Stoaks moves into the interim president role following three and a half years as SWCC’s vice president of instruction. As vice president of instruction, Stoaks directed all matters related to academic instruction, programs, services, and operations.
Stoaks has been with SWCC since May 2010 when she began in the role of coordinator of secondary programs. She continued in that position until July 2013 when she became the college’s assistant vice president of instruction.
During her time in instructional administration, Stoaks has served as a Higher Learning Commission (HLC) assurance co-coordinator for the college’s accreditation process since November 2014. In addition, she has assisted in guiding the college’s Iowa Department of Education and National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Program accreditation efforts.
Stoaks has a Master of Science degree in agricultural education and studies, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University. She completed leadership training through the Community College Leadership Initiative Consortium (CLIC) at Iowa State during the 2011-12 academic year.
In addition to her job duties at the college, Stoaks is a Southwest Iowa STEM Hub board member and a member of the Iowa Community College Chief Academic Officers Workgroup.
Stoaks and her husband, Shane, are active in the Lenox community and volunteer with many school and recreational activities for their three children.
Stoaks replaces Dr. Marjorie McGuire-Welch who resigned her position during the May 9 meeting. McGuire-Welch had been president at SWCC since June 2021.
With Stoaks being appointed as interim president, the board of trustees then moved Dr. John Franklin (pictured at right), assistant vice president of instruction, to interim vice president of instruction.
Franklin has been at SWCC and served as assistant vice president of instruction since 2020. He earned his Ph.D. in history from Texas Christian University; a Master of Arts in history from Midwestern State University; and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Midwestern State University.
Prior to coming to SWCC in 2020, Franklin had worked at Graceland University since 2001, serving as a professor of history from 2010-20; director of the Accelerated College Education program from 2006-10; and adjunct assistant professor from 2001-05.
In his current role, Franklin serves on the Iowa Transfer Major Steering Committee, Iowa College and Career Transitions Counselor Steering Committee, and Iowa Work-Based Learning Advisory Board.
###