Sikes to retire as ATU-Ozark campus chancellor

Bruce Sikes will retire June 30 because the Arkansas Tech College-Ozark Campus chancellor, ending virtually 10 years within the job and wrapping up 16 years with Russellville-based Arkansas Tech College.

Sikes started his profession as a trainer, coach and administrator in Ok-12 schooling. He joined ATU-Ozark as chief educational officer in 2007 and was promoted to chancellor in 2013. He succeeded Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, who resigned after seven years as chancellor at ATU-Ozark to just accept the presidency at Clark State Group School in Springfield, Ohio.

Throughout Sikes’ 16 years in senior management at ATU-Ozark, the campus has conferred 13,493 levels and credentials and headcount enrollment elevated by 200 % from 570 college students in fall 2007 to 1,709 college students in fall 2022.

ATU-Ozark has added educational programming in automation know-how, banking providers, cardiac sonography, building know-how, well being data know-how, well being sciences, human providers, legislation enforcement, logistics administration, machinist operations, medical aiding, occupational remedy assistant, bodily therapist assistant and registered nursing below Sikes’ management.

In keeping with ATU, Sikes has been on the forefront of the Prepared for Life pilot program that gives profession teaching to center college, junior excessive and highschool college students in regional college districts below the auspices of the Arkansas Tech Institute, a non-formula entity of ATU.

Sikes supplied oversight for the planning, building and opening of the ATU-Ozark Well being Sciences and Wellness Constructing and he was an integral determine within the enhancement of the strolling path that encircles ATU-Ozark Campus. Arkansas Tech Profession Heart (ATCC) grew to become a part of the ATU-Ozark organizational construction throughout Sikes’ tenure with the campus and his efforts via ATCC have helped broaden workforce improvement within the area.

Via its location in Russellville and its satellite tv for pc places within the area, ATCC gives academic alternatives for college kids from 19 college districts. ATCC college students earned 4,680 concurrent credit score faculty hours towards certificates of proficiency and profession readiness in the course of the 2021-22 educational yr.

Sikes has additionally been a proponent for grownup schooling throughout his time at ATU-Ozark, which gives these providers in Booneville, Charleston, Clarksville, Ozark and Paris. Sikes obtained the 2021 Arkansas Affiliation for Grownup and Persevering with Training Excellent Supporter Award.

ATU-Ozark earned nationwide recognition below Sikes’ management when the campus and its trade associate, Inexperienced Bay Packaging (Arkansas Kraft Division), obtained the 2020 Nationwide Council of Workforce Training (NCWE) Noncredit Exemplary Program Award. The NCWE honor was in recognition of a decade-long collaboration that has supplied greater than 1,000 staff from greater than 60 Arkansas corporations with related electrical, mechanical and instrumentation expertise via a facility in Morrilton.

Sikes has contributed to the institution and improvement of roughly 300 trade partnerships for the advantage of ATU-Ozark college students and financial improvement within the Arkansas River Valley.

A local of Waldron, Sikes earned a bachelor’s diploma in schooling and grasp’s diploma in schooling from the College of Central Arkansas.