Dr. Joe Delap has been appointed as Athens State University’s Vice President for corporate and Community Relations (VPCCR), a newly-created position to better enable the University to engage with external communities.
Dr. Delap will be working with all departments at Athens State to create and implement or enhance partnerships with corporate and business leaders, the non-profit sector, P-12 education, community colleges, and community organizations. These partnerships will strengthen the University’s academic and leadership role in North Alabama.
Athens State has strong ties to the area’s external communities, serving as an anchor institution in the region. The University supplies top-notch teachers, training for incumbent teachers, strengthen the arts and cultural fabric of the area through the Alabama Center for the Arts, and provides service to the community through student and faculty outreach and through programs at the Center for Lifelong Learning. These relationships are mutually beneficial for the University and the North Alabama area.
“Dr. Delap will be well-suited to this role,” stated Athens State President, Dr. Philip Way. “As Provost and VP for Academic Affairs, he has been responsible for many of these areas internally. We thank him for his service. Now he will use his deep knowledge of internal operations to market the University externally, resulting in benefits for all VP areas.”
“I am excited about this new opportunity,” said Dr. Delap, “This new position will strengthen the University academically and strategically.”
Dr. Delap will gradually transition to his new role over the next few weeks as an interim Provost is named. A national search for a new Provost will be conducted by an outside search firm during the coming year. An interim Provost will be announced in the near future.