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Gastenveld has a question of her own

Thinking in terms of 'we'

Date published: 12/6/2006

By EDIE GROSS

Paula M. Gastenveld spent an hour answering questions from Germanna Community College faculty and staff yesterday morning before hitting them with one of her own.

"What are you all looking for in a next president?" asked Gastenveld, one of three candidates for the job visiting the college's campuses this week.

"That way, I'll do better in my next interview," she added, smiling.

Hands shot up in the Fredericksburg campus' Sealy Auditorium.

"I'd like you to drop in out of the blue and visit with me in my office," said Gerald Miller, head of the information technology program. "Come down and see what we're doing, what we're doing good and not doing good--tell us that, too."

"The first thing that comes to mind is someone who will bring out the best in all of us," added Linda Larkin, dean of Learning Resources.

"Someone who would advocate for us with the legislature and VCCS [Virginia Community College System]," said the campus's associate dean, Paula Gentry.

Gastenveld, who has nearly 30 years of teaching and administrative experience in higher education, nodded in agreement.

"That's it?" she asked. "That's easy."

Having served on the faculties of community colleges in Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio and Kentucky, Gastenveld touched on her experiences raising money, reaching out to the community and forming partnerships with local businesses and nearby universities.

She has been the provost of the West Campus of Valencia Community College in Orlando, Fla., since 2003. A partnership there with the University of Central Florida resulted in renovated classrooms and updated equipment for her community college students, she said.

At several schools, she's collaborated with nearby hospitals to improve nursing and other medical programs, bring on adjunct faculty and expose students to internship and job opportunities.

She said she's a fan of dual enrollment, a program that gives high school students a chance to take college courses before graduating.

Usually reserved for A and B students, Gastenveld said she'd like to offer that same opportunity to teens at the other end of the spectrum, those who may be "disenfranchised" in high school but might really take to a college atmosphere.

"Sometimes they're smart. They're just not motivated," she said. "Nobody's paying them a $1 for every A they make."

Future forums Germanna Community College President Frank Turnage plans to retire in January after 20 years at the helm. More than 60 people applied to fill his post. The Virginia Community College System (VCCS), which is overseeing the presidential search, narrowed the pool last month to three finalists: Marsal P. Stoll of Pearland, Texas; Paula M. Gastenveld of Orlando, Fla.; and David A. Sam of Pace, Fla. VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois is expected to select a new president by mid-December. Turnage will remain at Germanna until a new president is in place. All three finalists have visited Germanna campuses this week. Here is the schedule for the remaining visits: Today: Paula Gastenveld speaks to faculty, staff and students at Germanna's Center for Advanced Technology in Culpeper, 18121 Technology Drive, from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Folks at the Locust Grove campus, 2130 Germanna Highway, can participate via video conference in Room 100. David Sam will talk with members of the college community in Sealy Auditorium on Germanna's Fredericksburg campus, 10000 Germanna Point Drive, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Tomorrow: Sam will visit the Culpeper facility from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Again, videoconferencing will be available at the Locust Grove campus in Room 100. Paula M. Gastenveld Age: 53 Currently: Provost of the West Campus of Valencia Community College in Orlando, Fla., since 2003. Prior experience: Special assistant to the chancellor for the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, 2002-03; Vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Massachusetts Bay Community College, 2001-02; Dean of academic affairs at Greenfield Community College in Massachusetts, 1998-2001; She has also served in academic roles at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio, and Paducah Community College in Kentucky. Education: Doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University; master's degree in occupational safety and health from Murray State University in Kentucky; bachelor's degree in dental hygiene from the University of Kentucky. She began her education at Henderson Community College in Henderson, Ky., and has also attended the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.

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Date published: 12/6/2006

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