Sheila R. Jacobs, who has served as interim president of Arkansas Tech University’s Ozark campus for the past 10 months, had her “interim” tag removed Wednesday.
Russell Jones, interim chancellor of Arkansas Tech University, made the announcement, noting that Jacobs “has a rare and special investment and knowledge of Arkansas Tech University.”
Jones was full of praise for Jacobs, who has a long history with the university.
“She has emerged as a lifelong leader, dating back to her participation in Jimmy Ferguson’s leadership program when she was an undergraduate at Arkansas Tech University, and continuing through her recent service as ATU-Ozark Interim President. “I did,” Jones said. she wrote in an ATU news release. “She is an avid advocate of workforce development and career coaching, which is and will continue to be an essential part of fulfilling ATU-Ozark’s mission. We look forward to her leadership on campus and her important contributions. Her colleagues and ATU Ozark alumni will continue to contribute to the economic development of our region and state.”
According to ATU Director of University Relations Sam Strassner, she will be retiring on June 30, 2023 after serving 10 years as ATU Ozark President, 16 years as ATU Ozark’s senior leader, and 37 years in education. He will succeed Bruce Sykes, who retired on Sunday.
A first-generation college graduate, Jacobs earned five degrees from Arkansas Tech University, including a bachelor’s degree in English education, and was named a 1988 Margaret Young Award recipient as ATU’s most outstanding female graduate. I did.
Strassner said Jacobs began her career in education as an English teacher at Russellville High School, then taught English and journalism at Clarksville High School, and then served as director of curriculum, federal programs and equity for the Lavaca School District. He is said to have served. She returned to the Russellville School District where she served as not only the high school principal but also the director of secondary curriculum and instruction. She also served as an adjunct instructor in English and education at ATU’s Russellville campus.
Jacobs called Wednesday’s appointment “an absolute honor,” saying, “ATU-Ozark professionals are committed to advancing excellence in workforce education, a cornerstone of the Ozark campus.”
“Our dedication to building and maintaining strong partnerships with K-12 districts, industry and community leaders reflects our unwavering commitment to the workforce and economic development of our region and state. ,” she said in a news release. “Above all, our students remain at the center of our mission. We remain committed to providing our students with a high-quality, caring education that enables them to succeed in and out of the classroom.”
Strassner said Jacobs became ATU-Ozark’s chief academic officer in 2019 and was named interim provost effective July 1, 2023. She earned two Master’s degrees in Education and an Educational Specialist degree from Arkansas Tech University, her final degree in 2020, an ATU Doctorate of Education in School Leadership, and a 2021 Jim He was named the most outstanding recipient of the Ed McGee Award. She is an ATU graduate student.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to ATU-Ozark’s amazing faculty, staff, and administrators for their unwavering support and dedication,” Jacobs said in the release. “Together, we will continue to help our students reach their full potential.”
The Ozark campus joined ATU in 2003. This fall’s enrollment at ATU Russellville was down about 4% from fall 2022, while enrollment at the Ozark campus was up nearly 16%.
According to the university, 7,393 students enrolled through Russellville’s ATU on the 11th day of fall semester classes, a 4.1% decrease from a year ago. At the Ozark campus, the number of students increased to his 2,004 students, an increase of 15.6%.
The Ozark campus “positions itself as a tremendous resource for the educational needs of our community and its employees,” Jacobs said this fall. “ATU-Ozark is a powerful, regional and state-based facility designed to serve high-demand careers in the skilled trades, health care, automation, business law enforcement, banking computer information technology, cosmetic sciences, logistics, general research, and more. We offer programs.”
