General Session 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Rooms ABC
James L. Applegate serves as Vice President for Strategic Impact at Lumina Foundation. In this role, he leads in increasing the impact of the Foundation’s funding programs supporting achievement of “Goal 2025” to dramatically increase educational attainment in the U.S, especially for low income, first generation, minority, and adult students. That work includes strategic implementation of effective practices and policies supporting increases in the number of prepared students entering higher education, the number of students succeeding in college, and in the productivity and capacity of the system to provide many more people high quality credentials.
Prior to joining Lumina in 2008, he served as Senior Fellow and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education from 1999 through 2008. As chief academic officer in Kentucky, he coordinated statewide initiatives supporting institutional engagement in a public agenda for higher education that over the decade produced improvements in state college attainment that were among the best in the nation.
Jim was a Professor of Communication at the University of Kentucky. From 1984 until 1999 he was Chair of that Department. During that period he also served as University Senate Chair and an American Council on Education Fellow. He was elected President of the National Communication Association, the world’s largest association of communication scholars. His published research was recognized by various organizations for their contributions to his discipline. As a consultant, he has conducted over 250 seminars and workshops for corporate, academic and government organizations to improve communication policies and practices.
Jim earned his B.A from Georgetown College (KY) as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. from University of Illinois. His dissertation received the award given to the most outstanding dissertations completed in his field.
General Session Redesign 12:00 - 1:45 p.m. Rooms ABC
As founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), Dr. Michael B. McCall oversees a system of 16 individually accredited comprehensive community colleges with 68 campuses serving over 108,000 students. KCTCS has an annual operating budget of approximately $920 million, and touches the lives of more than 500,000 citizens.
Under the leadership of President McCall, KCTCS is committed to serving as the major gateway to postsecondary education for all Kentuckians.
Dr. McCall has served for over 40 years in community and technical colleges. He has been recognized for his advanced collaborative partnerships, economic development, innovative use of technology, and the utilization of team-oriented management.
Dr. McCall was the recipient of Phi Theta Kappa’s prestigious State Community College Director Award of Distinction. Dr. McCall received the 2005 National Council for Continuing Education and Training’s National Leadership Award – Inside the Field. The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development honored Dr. McCall with their 2005 International Leadership Award. Dr. McCall received the prestigious honor from Kentucky Monthly Magazine as the 2004 Kentuckian of the Year.
Dr. McCall received his bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington; his master's in physics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA; and his doctorate in educational administration from VPI.
General Session Reclaiming the American Dream 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. Rooms ABC
Dr. Walter Bumphus is President and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges. From 2007 to January 1, 2011, Dr. Bumphus served as a professor in the Community College Leadership Program and as chair of the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Texas at Austin. He also held the A. M. Aikin Regents Endowed Chair in Junior and Community College Education Leadership.
He previously served as president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) from 2001 to 2007. LCTCS conferred upon him the title of President Emeritus of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. From November 2000 to September 2001 he was chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC). Prior to joining BRCC, Dr. Bumphus worked in the corporate world, serving as President of the Higher Education Division of Voyager Expanded Learning. Six years prior, he served as president of Brookhaven College in Dallas County Community College District.
Dr. Bumphus holds a B.A. degree in speech communications, a M.A. degree in guidance and counseling from Murray State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1992, Dr. Bumphus was recognized as a distinguished graduate from both Murray State University and The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Bumphus holds the distinction of being one of the few leaders in the field of education to receive the National CEO of the year Award, to chair the AACC Board of Directors, and to receive the AACC National Leadership Award.