SCC Board Announces McGuire's Plans to Retire as President of Community College

Published: 10/05/2010

McGuire, who is 66, became president of SCC in November 1996.  He is in his 20th year as a community college president, having served previously as president of Owensboro Community College in Kentucky from 1991-96. He was chief academic and student development officer from 1985 to 1991 at the Community College of Aurora, Colorado. Before that, he was assistant dean of instruction and director of off-campus centers at Parkersburg Community College in West Virginia, where he also taught history for 14 years.

“Dr. McGuire’s focus on the success of our students has not waivered,” said Pundmann. “He possesses extraordinary organizational skills, a keen awareness of major influences affecting community colleges and the rare ability to analyze, integrate and implement plans and programs in the face of shrinking state budgets and booming enrollment.”

“McGuire, over his splendid career at SCC and to the whole field of community college education, has established a very strong foundation for the college to continue its educational growth for our St. Charles County citizens and businesses in the 21st century," Pundmann said. “Many have found inspiration in McGuire’s leadership; many more will find a worthy example in his fine record.”

During McGuire’s tenure SCC’s enrollment has more than doubled, growing at a rate twice that of the county’s population increase.  Under his leadership additional campus acreage was acquired and two additional phases of construction have been completed, resulting in the addition of five buildings that doubled the size of the campus.

Early in his tenure at SCC, McGuire advocated for an improved state transfer policy.  A resulting general education “transfer block” was approved in fall 2002, encouraging more students to seek transfer degrees and reducing procedural problems.

In 2002 he spearheaded an innovative cooperative agreement between the college and the area’s two largest hospitals. This partnership gave the hospitals a larger hiring pool of nursing graduates and annually enabled 16 additional ADN nursing students to enter the program.

Under McGuire’s leadership, the college has seen a number of advancements, including exceptional student pass rates in professional career programs, increased campus safety initiatives, free WiFi access throughout the campus, and eight national championships in roller hockey.

Through the college’s Workforce Development Department, college facilitated training for area business and industry has greatly expanded.  For the past three years, nearly $3 million per year in job training funds have been awarded to St. Charles County businesses through grants sponsored by the college.

SCC was a national and state leader in becoming a tobacco free campus in January 2007.

Locally, McGuire has served the St. Charles County Economic Development Council for the past 14 years and currently serves as president of the EDC Board. He has been active in the community with leadership roles in education, business, service and charitable organizations.  McGuire is a board member of the St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association (RCGA), and a board member and past president of Great Rivers Greenway (Metropolitan Park and Recreation District).  GRG is building a 600 mile, connected trail and greenway system throughout the St. Louis-St Charles metropolitan area.

McGuire holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in history from West Virginia University and a Ph.D. from Florida State University. He and his wife, Edith, have two children: Esther, who lives in Washington, D.C., and Michael, who lives in Columbia, Mo. They have four grandchildren.

St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences, and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.