Scott Cook: Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Inspired a Passion in me for Learning
November 13, 2019
My time at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ State Community College changed my life. I grew up in Lynchburg
and became the first person in my father's family, and one of the first on my mother's
side, to graduate college.
Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ inspired a passion in me for learning, and I fell in love with history, government, psychology, and literature. My experiences on the Moore County campus set me on a path that has afforded me opportunities I could not have dreamed of.
In 2002 I joined the exceptional Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ faculty as an adjunct instructor, beginning at the Smyrna location when it was at the Tennessee Army National Guard facility. After a short stint as a full-time instructor at Georgia Military College in Columbus, Georgia, I returned to Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ full time, teaching history alongside my mentor Dr. Donald Cheatham.
“Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ changed my life’s trajectory for the better. I found my intellectual curiosity and passion at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ.â€�
— Dr. Scott Cook, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Class of 2000
During the next 12 years, I taught a myriad of history, government, literature, and Honors Program courses, earning full professor with tenure. I served as director of the Honors Program for eight years, growing the Program from the Moore County campus to McMinnville and Fayetteville and incorporating Smyrna. I also founded the Big Geek Sophomore Mentorship Program, the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Honors Alumni Association, and the Honors Program Student Advisory Board.
For three consecutive years, a Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ student won the National Collegiate Honors Council Two-Year Student of the Year. I'm so proud of Rob Keel, Caitlin Tripp, and JuliAnna Dykes Hills for laying the foundation of Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ's thriving Honors Program.
In March 2018, I left my post at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ as professor, Honors Program Director, and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice President of Quality Assurance and Performance Funding to come to Madisonville Community College in Madisonville, Kentucky, where I serve as Provost (Chief Academic Officer and Chief Student Officer).
I could never have imagined that these types of opportunities were in my future. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ changed my life's trajectory for the better. I found my intellectual curiosity and passion at Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ. As a student and a proud member of the faculty and administration, I made lifelong friends and colleagues. I even met my wife while I was a student, and we are both proud alumni. I cannot imagine my life without the rewarding experiences that Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ afforded me during the past 23 years.
