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President’s Welcome and Vision

Dr. Michael Torrence

Greetings Students and Families,

Welcome to Motlow State Community College, and thank you in advance for choosing us. Our community is committed to helping enrich the lives of all students. We are being mindful as an institution about the evolving needs of our communities. Our focus is to serve you better through open access and community and workforce development. These pillars support students and aid in their successful completion. Through strong industry partnerships and a continued emphasis on enhancing collaboration and harnessing innovation, Motlow students graduate ready to thrive in a 21st-century economy.

We believe that you belong here at Motlow State. Success to us is more than graduating; it is the journey along the way. Our Academic Affairs division houses the best group of teaching faculty committed to providing academic excellence. Motlow State faculty develop rigorous courses, high-quality programs, and explore innovative teaching methods. Our Student Success division provides support and the touch necessary for you to feel welcomed. Our staff and administration are all committed to service.

We know that your time at Motlow State Community College will serve as a valuable experience and provide you with a lifetime of memories and opportunities. We want you to take advantage of learning in a safe environment. We want you to fully engage in all that we have to offer you in the classroom and also through meeting new people, making new friends, and maximizing your potential. Thank you for choosing us, and remember, we believe in you!
 
Most cordially,

Michael Torrence, Ph.D.
President

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Torrence's Biography

Dr. Michael Torrence is the seventh seated President of Motlow State Community College. Since being named President in 2018, Motlow State has scaled its presence into international arenas connecting its rich history and location that directly ties the institution to the world-famous Jack Daniel Distillery, George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey, and more recently Nearest Green Distillery, leading to the development and coming addition of a Distilling Program in the College’s academic inventory. Under Dr. Torrence’s leadership, Motlow State has transformed itself into a cutting-edge, award-winning institution on multiple fronts. A passionate career educator, Dr. Torrence has worked in higher education for more than 25 years as faculty, mid-level and senior administrator, and ultimately CEO. His diverse areas of expertise include Research, Adult Education, Student Success, Academic Affairs, Staff Development, Distance Learning, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Additional interests are Applied Learning within Open Education Resources (OER), Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Automation, Robotics, Mechatronics, and Gamification as platforms for education, learning, and training business and industry to increase efficiency and scalability. Dr. Torrence is also an entrepreneurial business development professional, workforce practitioner, and technology strategist. To model lifelong learning, he recently earned a welding certificate through Motlow’s Automation and Robotics Training Center. 

Among the multiple leadership programs of which he is a graduate, Dr. Torrence is a Tennessee Board of Regents Maxine Smith Fellow and is only one of two Fellows who has been appointed as a community college president within the TBR System. His leadership and commitment to student success has garnered him many recognitions and awards to include American Association of Community Colleges, Phi Theta Kappa International Society, GlobalMindEd, Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute, among others. Dr. Torrence is a much sought-after lecturer, panelist, and contributor in areas of higher education, e-Sports, technology, and social equity. Dr. Torrence leads and serves on local, state, national, and international boards that influence and shape the future of higher education. He has a Ph.D. in Exceptional Learning (Literacy) from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee.

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