WCCD President Dr. Linda C. Young Announces Retirement

WCCD President Dr. Linda C. Young

In a heartfelt message to Wallace Community College-Dothan (WCCD) faculty and staff on Thursday, August 1, 2024, WCCD President Dr. Linda C. Young announced her intention to retire effective October 1, 2024. Dr. Young’s retirement concludes a remarkable 36-year career as president that included becoming the first female to head a technical college in Alabama.

Reflecting on her tenure to her colleagues, Dr. Young remarked, “It has been exciting to watch the College develop and grow. Every year brought a new set of challenges and opportunities, as well as new faculty and staff members. What we have accomplished together as a College is largely because we all have one goal in mind—‘showing up every day as someone else’s HOPE’—as we heard a professional development speaker say not so very long ago. We strive to help our students fulfill their dreams!”

“Please know that my heart is full of pleasure in the good things that we have been able to accomplish for the many students whose lives have truly been transformed by their experience at Wallace Community College. I can assure you that I will work diligently until my very last day to move the College forward. For your many contributions and your committed dedication to this College, I am truly grateful. It has been my honor and a distinct privilege to serve as your president,” Dr. Young continued.

“A lifelong educator and academic administrator, Dr. Linda Young is both a product and pillar of Alabama’s first-class community college system. Her near four decades of leadership has left a substantial impact by stewarding all three phases of the community college mission: academic transfer, adult education and workforce development,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “The first female head of a state technical college, her greatest legacy may be as a trailblazer and innovator in guiding Alabama’s successful healthcare and nursing education programs. Her efforts will pay dividends for decades to come, and I am proud to wish Dr. Young all the best in her well-earned retirement.”

“From workforce and economic development achievements, to her commitment to serving all residents – no matter their background, Dr. Young has had an indelible impact on the Wiregrass area and the state of Alabama as a whole,” stated Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker. “Her legacy is one that will be felt for years beyond her time of service, and I applaud her for a monumental time of service.”

Dr. Young’s career as President began in 1988 with her appointment to Sparks State Technical College in Eufaula. When Sparks and WCCD were merged in 1999, Dr. Young was appointed president of the newly merged institution. Her career in education includes teaching three years in K-12 and numerous roles within the Alabama Community College System. She has served at what was then Enterprise State Junior College – her alma mater – in both teaching and administrative jobs. She also previously served as the Alabama Community College System Office Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, and Lurleen B. Wallace Junior College in Andalusia as Dean of Academic Affairs.

Her career in education includes teaching three years in K-12 and numerous roles within the Alabama Community College System. She has served at ESJC in both teaching and administrative jobs, the Alabama Community College System Office as Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, and Lurleen B. Wallace Junior College in Andalusia as Dean of Academic Affairs. In 1988, Dr. Young was appointed president of Sparks State Technical College in Eufaula, becoming the first female to head a technical college in Alabama. When Sparks and WCCD were merged in 1999, Dr. Young was appointed president of the newly merged institution.

Some of Dr. Young’s major accomplishments during her professional career include developing special educational programs for adult women — programs that have been designated as exemplary models by the Strengthening Developing Institutions Program, the National Commission on Working Women, the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, Far West Laboratories, and the National Center for Research in Vocational Education. These programs were featured in at least four national publications, and presentations describing the programs were made at four national conferences and one Congressional hearing. She also chaired a legislative committee of the Alabama Coalition of Women and Girls in Education. This committee achieved passage of legislation creating and funding multi-purpose displaced homemaker programs in Alabama’s junior, community, and technical colleges. This work was recognized when she was one of five women in the State to be recognized by the American Society for Public Administration for outstanding contributions to public administration and public service by assisting other women to advance professionally.

Throughout her career, Dr. Young has received numerous accolades, including being named In 1991, she received an Outstanding Alumnus Award from Troy University Dothan. In 2001, she was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Eufaula Rotary Club and in 2016 by the Dothan Rotary Club. Dr. Young was honored in 2013 by the American Association of Community Colleges for 25 years of service as a community college president. She was inducted into the Dothan Area Chamber Business Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2017, Linda was one of 19 community college presidents in the nation to be presented the prestigious Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction by Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for community colleges. Linda was named a 2022 “Woman of Impact” by Yellowhammer News. This recognition was a celebration of strong women who impact and propel Alabama through personal and professional accomplishments.

Under her leadership, WCCD has gained national recognition for its instructional programs and initiatives. The College was identified as a Bellwether Award finalist by the Community College Futures Assembly in 2015 and was named a top-three finalist in Faculty Innovation by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in 2016 for its faculty-led I-CAN initiative. In 2017, AACC recognized Wallace as the top community college in the nation with the Award of Excellence for Student Success. Student organizations at WCCD have gained local, state, and national prominence under Young’s leadership, and graduates go on to achieve unprecedented success in their chosen professions. College facilities have been constructed and renovated, infrastructure has been improved, and investments in instructional resources have made WCCD’s learning environments top notch for students.

Dr. Young has been actively involved in various civic organizations and professional associations, including serving as Chair of the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce, a member of the State Workforce Planning Council, and a member of the Dothan Rotary Club. She is a 1999 graduate of the Leadership Alabama program and currently serves as chair of the program’s Board of Directors.

Dr. Young’s journey in education began at Enterprise State Junior College (ESCJ, now Enterprise State Community College) where she started her college work after graduating as valedictorian of her class at Elba High School. She received an associate in arts degree from ESJC, both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Troy University, and a doctorate from Auburn University.

WCCD extends its deepest gratitude to Dr. Young for her outstanding service and wishes her all the best in her retirement.