Welcome to Durham Technical Community College—the community college of the City of Medicine and the Research Triangle Park, and early in 2008, Orange County’s community college.

For nearly fifty years, Durham Tech has provided high-quality, affordable, and convenient technical and career education, served as the springboard to a bachelor’s degree, enabled tens of thousands of Durham and Orange County residents to enjoy continuing education offerings, and given many thousands more a second chance at success through adult literacy programs. Today over 25,000 individuals enroll each year at Durham Tech. Some will pursue further education at prestigious local universities while others will learn to read to their grandchildren. Some will develop technical skills in high demand in today’s workplace while others will learn the “ins and outs” of starting a small business. Each comes with a different reason, but all understand the critical role education plays in building a better and more productive life. And upon entering Durham Tech, each of those 25,000 people will be served by faculty and staff committed to helping identify their needs, providing superb instruction and outstanding support in a friendly and welcoming environment.

The quality of our educational programs can be measured in many ways. Over 98 percent of the students who persist to graduation from one of our 95-plus credit certificate, diploma, or degree program options report satisfaction with our instruction and services. Over 99 percent of our graduates report getting or keeping jobs after leaving the college. Over 99 percent of the companies that use Durham Tech to provide training for new employees are satisfied with that training. Over 80 percent of the graduates who sit for licensing examinations pass on their first try. Eighty percent of our basic skills students demonstrate steady progress toward their literacy goals. Durham Tech’s graduates who transfer to institutions in the UNC System do as well or better than native students their junior years. And Durham Tech sends more students to UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina Central University than any other community college in the state. To find out more about our performance in these and other areas of critical success, go to http://www.durhamtech.edu/html/aboutdt/collegeperf.htm. We are proud of our superior performance as indicated on this “report card” for all of North Carolina’s community colleges.

We are also proud of our many partnerships with other educational institutions in our community. The Middle College High School at Durham Tech provides a way for high school juniors and seniors from the three school systems in our service area to excel academically in a challenging and yet supportive environment while getting a jump on college through dual-enrollment opportunities. Bi-lateral agreements in everything from Accounting and Business Administration to Criminal Justice and Teacher Associate allow students to obtain a two-year associate in applied science degree and be on their way to a bachelor’s degree from dozens of area universities. And our C-STEP partnership provides a way for economically disadvantaged students to graduate from Durham Tech and transfer seamlessly to UNC-Chapel Hill.

Today we serve a growing and dynamic region with our Main Campus on Lawson St. in southeast Durham, the Northern Durham Center on Snowhill Rd, and the Orange County Skills Development Center on West Franklin St in Chapel Hill. Early in 2008 we will add the Orange County Campus located at the intersection of I-40 and old highway 86. This state-of-the-art facility includes over 20 classrooms and labs in a location that is minutes away from every household in Orange County.

As the fourth President of Durham Technical Community College, I invite you to explore our web site. You will learn about one of the best community colleges in the state and in the nation — a college dedicated to enhancing student learning and fostering community growth and development. Welcome to Durham Tech!