SAU Tech's new chancellor Jerry Thomas started his first day building relationships toward the future for the school.
"I'm thrilled and excited to be here," Thomas responded to his presence in the office.
Thomas has a three-point plan for the year: build relationships, align coursework with jobs in the area and broaden recruitment for the school.
He spent most of the week getting to know the staff and students to work collaboratively together.
Then he plans to reach out to members of Highland Industrial Park and the community to continue growing outwardly.
"In order for us to be successful, we need everyone working together," Thomas said.
After making introductions, Thomas plans to work with industry partners and the local job market to produce future employees for the area with coursework and functions offered by the higher education facility.
"We want our students to have good jobs waiting for them whether it's here in Camden or wherever they may want to go," the new chancellor stated.
Thomas wants higher standards of students in school and those who graduate by focusing on bringing opportunities for success to the school.
"We don't want to just recruit any student, we want to make sure they get a good experience and they graduate leading to a productive future," Thomas commented.
While Thomas realizes the heavy workload coming to achieve his mission, he's relying on 30 years of academic experience to help him through. He spent 19 years at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and 8 years at National Park College in Hot Springs.
"I feel like I'm really prepared for stepping into this role as chancellor," Thomas said. "The key is to prioritize the needs of the students and the community. This has always worked for me in the past."
Thomas' wife and son will join him in East Camden later this year. The couple has six children together.
"We are looking forward to getting involved with the community here ourselves to see it grow and thrive," Thomas said.
Thomas said he looks forward to continuing in the SAU school system, since it is where his career started.
"I have a deep connection and affection to SAU with my time in the Upward Bound program in Magnolia, where I had my humble beginning making this transition important to me," Thomas said. "The fact that I can further the mission of SAU Tech excites me."