rm : Decree
since 1960 “of, by, andfor the Wesleyan community.
January 17, 2014
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
Wesleyan Grad Dewey Clark To Become College’s Seventh President
NathCarolinaWesleyanCollege’sBoaidof
Trustees has announced that Dr. Dewey G.
Clark, a 1982 Wesleyan graduate and chairman
of the college’s Board of Trustees, will succeed
James A. Gray III as president of the college.
Gray recently announced plans to retire at the
end of the 2013-14 academic year in May. He
came to Wesleyan as its sixth president in June
2009 and will remain involved with the college
to concentrate on several ongoing initiatives.
In announcing the selection of Clark as the
college’s next president, Will Lassiter, vice
chairman ofWesleyan’s Board of Trustees,
said, “As we explored the leadership require
ments of the college at this time, our discus
sions led us to conclude that the obvious choice
is Dr. Clark. In our opinion, he has a unique
set of skills and experience that perfectly equip
him to handle the task at hand.”
Thomas A. Betts, former chairman of
Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees and chairman of
the presidential search committee, said, “Not
only does he bring a fresh set of eyes to old and
tired problems, but his management style is
inclusive and decisive. He is a proven visionary
and strategic leader who is results-driven.
Those strengths, coupled with his undeniable
devotion to Wesleyan, are what put a smile on
our faces and reinforced that we had made the
correct call. We are confident in our decision.”
Clark earned his bachelor’s degree at
Wesleyan in business administration and
history and his master’s degree in business
administration from Campbell University.
He completed his doctor of business
administration with a concentration in
management from Argosy University.
Since 1990 he has held executive positions
at MBM Corporation in Rocky Mount.
During the past 10 years he has served as
executive director of strategic planning.
‘T am humbled and honored by this
opportunity to return to my alma mater as
president,” Clark said. “With 32 years of
experience in business and education, I feel
I am uniquely qualified to lead Wesleyan to
the next level. I will approach this challenge
with the same passion and dedication that I
have given MBM throughout my career.”
Clark said that, given President Gray’s May
retirement and his current obligations, he will
transition to the role of president sometime
next year, yet to be determined. “Wesleyan has
been blessed with exceptional faculty, staff,
and students,” Clark said. ‘T look forward to
partnering with them in the coming years.”
Clark came to Wesleyan in the fall of 1978
as a first-generation college student Since
then he has continually been associated with
the college in various ways. After graduating
from Wesleyan, he went to work in the
Admissions Office. In addition, Clark has
taught a course in operations management at
Wesleyan more than 20 times. Recently he
began his fourth term on the Board of Trust
ees, where he has served as vice-chairman
and chairman of the finance committee.
A member of Englewood Baptist
Church, Clark has been active in the
community in many organizations and
has been recognized with numerous
service awards. He lives in Wilson with
his wife, Suzanne, and children, Blakely
and Nicholas. (Article courtesy of NCWC PR)
The Decree conducted a recent email
interview with Dr. Clark.
Q: At what point did you think that
you’d like to become a college president?
A: The rumor about me being
Wesleyan’s next president had been
going around Rocky Mount for some
time. Having the best job in Rocky
Dr. Dewey Clark, a Wesleyan grad
and MBM executive, has been
named the college's next president,
succeeding James Gray, who has
announced that he will retire in
May after five years. Wesleyan PR Photo
Mount, I had no plans to leave until Warren
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway bought MBM
in the summer of 2012. MBM is still a great
company and I will always cherish my time
there, but 1 felt like this was a great opportunity
to make a real difference in something about
which I care deeply. Being a college president
has never been a career goal, but looking
back on my career, it’s something I have been
preparing for all of my life. Anyone can look
at my resume and see that I would not be as
“uniquely qualified” to be president of any other
college. Education and background aside, the
three over-riding characteristics I possess are a
passion for the college, a deep knowledge base
of the inner workings of the college, and being
an area resident for 36 years. Coming from
humble agricultural beginnings, and being a
first-generation college student, I have listened
to critics every step of the way. Fortunately,
through hard work, and God’s grace I have
succeeded in every undertaking. Being a college
president will be a tremendous challenge, but
I’m very excited about this once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.
Q: There had been initial discussion
about conducting a national search for
a new president, but that idea was soon
abandoned. Describe the deliberations and
discussion that led to your appointment. .
A: As Chairman of the Board, I had every
intention of conducting a national search. Obvi
ously, a national search can be done with hiring a
search firm by placing ads in national publications
such as the Chronicle of Higher Education. We
had written the ad to be placed in the publications
when General Hugh Shelton, our Vice Chairman
of the Board of Trustees, nominated me for
the Presidency. When asked, I had staled all along
that I would not apply for the position unless I was
nominated and encouraged by the Board. When!
was nominated for the Presidency I resigned from
the Search Committee and was excluded from
any further deliberations.
Q: How will your experiences at MBM
help you in your new post as college president?
A: MBM has helped prepare me in many
ways to be a college president A college presi
dent must be a visionary, one that can envision
a clear direction or path in which the college
must head. At MBM I’ve been in a role to help
establish direction through a collaborative vi
sion. When I arrived at MBM in 1990, we were
a $150 million company with five distribution
centers. This year we’re a $7 billion company
with 36 distribution centers. We achieved this
Dean Williams To Leave in May
Dr. Randy Williams will leave NC
Wesleyan in May after five years as the
college’s Vice President for Student Affairs
and Dean of Students.
He will become a Presidential Fellow and
Special Assistant to the President/Dean of .
Multicultural Affairs, according to NCWC
President James Gray, who announced
Williams’ departure in an email.
Elon University, located between
Greensboro and the Raleigh-Durham area, is a
phenomenal growth through a daily culture of
continuous improvement and a commitment to
quality. Looking back at my career at MBM,
I would say basically everything I’ve done has
prepared me for the President’s position. I have
experience in human resources, which will help
with hiring and personnel issues. I have experi
ence in accounting and finance, which will be
invaluable for understanding income statements
and the balance sheet The experiences in
operations, marketing, and strategic planning
will be by far the most beneficial.
My current position, Executive Director of
Strategic Planning, is very similar in many ways
to the president position. I examine every area of
MBM, including all its subsidiaries, to find ways
to increase profits and improve efficiencies.
The same will be true at Wesleyan, where the
greatest emphasis will be the troubled areas
such as enrollment and fund raising.
Q: Describe your leadership and
management style.
A: My style is very proactive, as I want
to influence events as opposed to reacting to
problems. Wesleyan has been in a reactionary
mode for some time now, and has not focused
enough time on strategic planning. I prefer
short-term plans backed by specific measur
able goals that are used to develop the long-
term vision. There is absolutely no substitution
for preparation, an area where I will spend a
lot of my time. Hard work is engrained in me.
Ideas become stale and momentum is lost with
time away from critical areas. Leadership
deals with influence. When employees see
that the leader has a passionate vision, they
are more likely to follow. Integrity has always
been very important to me. I believe that
people want to know the truth regardless of
the situation. Lastly, being respectful to all
people is important to me. There are some
individuals on campus that may not have been
in agreement on my selection as Wesleyan’s
next president I am very respectful of their
opinion, and I look forward to working with
them to make Wesleyan a better place.
Q: What kind of fund-raising experi
ence do you bring to the job?
A: Successful fund raising requires a specific
skill set that is partly God-given and partly learned.
The fund raiser has to be able to communicate
a need and a vision for a specific project This
must be done in such a way that the potential
donor feels a connection to the project and sees
the long-torn benefit In my role at MBM I have
been presenting projects and opportunities to the
shareholders for over 20 years. The message must
be concise and clear. The biggest advantage of
hiring an alumni and resident of Rocky Mount
is the instant connection with these groups. Our
alumni base is around 12,000, but nearly half
are ASPIRE students that feel little connection
to the college. We must increase alumni giving
by reconnecting with them. There are many
creative ways that we can establish a more solid
connection to the Rocky Mount region, which
will enhance fundraising. As a matter of reference,
Wesleyan has never been ultra-successful at
fund raising. After the initial gift of the 200 acres
and the $2 million to build our first buildings,
the majority of our expansion efforts have been
through borrowed funds. The college still owes
nearly $3 million on the Dunn center, and the
recent Edgecombe renovation is all borrowed
funds. Even though it is less than 5 parent of our
annual budget, fund raising is the second most
important function for Wesleyan’s president
after admissions. We need to keep in mind that
a dollar generated from a freshman’s tuition
has an economic impact of more than five
times that of a dollar donated because of the
continuous revenue stream it generates over
time. This potential revenue stream continues
for the entire lifetime of the student.
Q: You’ ve been a Wesleyan student, an
admissions counselor, an ASPIRE instructor
and a trustee. In what specific ways will this
varied background help you as president?
private college with more than 5,000 students.
US News & Worid Report ranks it number
one among regional universities in the South.
In his email, President Gray praised
Williams for his accomplishments over the
past five years, citing everything from his
management of the Honor Code and Code of
Student Conduct, to establishment of a viable
Greek system, to improvements in the Student
Success Center, to stronger campus security.
A: With my 36 years of continuous
affiliation with Wesleyan, I’ve been afforded
the opportunity to see the college from
many different angles. Since I arrived in 1978
as a student, the traditional day program has
changed very little. Back then our resident
capacity was 450 students, and today it is
550. Wesleyan still faces financial challenges,
lack of student activities, and an imbalance
of athletes vs. non-athletes. Working for the
college as a staff employee for eight years
allowed me to experience how an educational
organization functions. In 1990,1 was on
several accreditation committees. Having
eight years of admissions experience will be
extremely valuable in dealing with our current
enrollment issues. Some of the most beneficial
experience will be the 12 years as an adjunct
professor in our ASPIRE program. I’ve taught
our Operations Management Business class 21
times. This class has averaged 15 students each
semester, so I have taught over 300 students.
Each time I teach this class I’m re-energized
in my commitment to make a difference in the
students’ lives. Each semester, I hired the best
student in my class, and created a position for
them at MBM. These students have become
some of MBM’s finest employees.
Katie Farrell directs ASPIRE's new Wilmington, Whiteville and Brunswick cam
puses. Seen here with Provost Michael Brown, Farrell received a Distinguished
Staff Award last fall during Founders Day ceremonies.
S. Best Photo
ASPIRE Program Sees
Continued Growth
On February 1, Dr. Evan Duff will enter
his fourth year at NC Wesleyan, having
overseen dramatic growth in the college’s
adult degree program, known as ASPIRE.
When he joined the college administration
from Mt. Olive, Wesleyan operated three
campuses and enrolled a total of650 students.
Under Dr. Duff’s leadership, the ASPIRE
program has expanded to nine campuses.
Classes have already begun in Wilmington,
Greenville, Washington and Whiteville, while
the Manteo campus will begin classes this
semester, with Brunswick to follow in May.
As of fall 2013, total ASPIRE enrollment had
risen to 976, far exceeding enrollment in the
traditional day program.
Dr. Duff, whose title is Vice President
of Adult & Professional Studies, was
interviewed about the ASPIRE program.
Q: Wesleyan just held another gradua
tion ceremony. What are you thinking as
you watch ASPIRE students walk across
the stage to receive their diploma?
A: It is so gratifying to work for a college
that understands the importance of education
for all demographics and age groups. Wes
leyan provides such an important service to
adults throughout eastern North Carolina, who
for many reasons could not go or finish their
college degree between the ages of 18-22.
Q: Describe the typical ASPIRE student.
A: We have students who range in age
of 22 to 62 with an average age of 34.
Our students are typically working adults
that are mid-career professionals who
have a family. We also have many single
parents who have more than one job.
Q: What are the current enrollment
figures for each of the satellite campuses?
A: This was at the end of fall 2013:
Raleigh 215, Wilmington 99, Rocky
Mt. 293, Goldsboro 282, Greenville 59,
Washington 15, Whiteville 13.
Q: What have been recent enrollment
trends in the three oldest campuses—Ra
leigh-Durham, Goldsboro, Rocky Mount?
Q: One might well argue that, given the
challenges faced by Wesleyan, it would be better
for the college to hire an “outsider,” a leader who
can view the college with more detachment and
objectivity. How do you respond to that view?
A: I could not more strongly disagree with the
opinion to hire an outsider. Wesleyan is at a very
crucial time in its history, and given our’ current
financial position, we do not have the luxury of
bringing in an outsider. An outsider would spend
two to three years trying to discern the unique
problems facing the college, meeting the key
players, and acclimating themselves to the Rocky
Mount area. Just like businesses vary one from
another within their segment, Wesleyan
is vastly different from other private, four-year
liberal arts colleges. With my experi
ences, I understand our problems of low
traditional enrollment, distressed finances,
the imbalance of athletes, our discon
nection with alumni and community,
dependence on ASPIRE, and under-funding
of key areas that have led to Wesleyan starving
tire liberal arts side of the college. According to
historians, ‘ Those that know no history are fated
to repeat it” An outsider would not be able to
immediately understand that, even though our
facilities are basically debt-free, we’re not
Continued on pg 2
A: Goldsboro has seen the highest increases
in enrollment (credit hours taken by students)
and has had close to 10-12 percent increases
since 2011 each year. Rocky Mount has had
more significant increases in enrollment within
the last two years and has about an 8 percent
average increase per year. Raleigh-Durham has
experienced increases and decreases since 2011.
From 2011-2012 there was a 5 percent increase in
Raleigh-Durham and over the last year and half
we have seen a slight decrease. Reassigning our
long-term admissions officer (John Dismukes) to
our Wilmington offices had some impact on this.
Q: We imagine that the Raleigh-Durham
campus faces the most competition. Identify
the main competitors in the Triangle area.
What’s Wesleyan’s niche in that market? What
steps can the college take to better compete?
A: Some of our competitors in Raleigh-
Durham include Mount Olive College, DeVry,
Strayer University, and ECPI. Wesleyan does a
lot of things well compared to these other col
leges. Our tuition is more cost effective, we offer
a range of course structures to include 8-week,
hybrid, and online classes, and we offer more
variety in our majors such as teacher education,
organizational administration, and marketing.
Our biggest weakness is lack of advertising and
awareness. The competitors listed above spend
well over $1 million a year just on advertising
and it is very difficult to compete with that
Q: Let’s turn to the recent expansion into
new markets in eastern North Carolina. Under
your direction, the college has established
several new sites. How do you account for the
growth in ASPIRE? Is the college entering
under-served markets, or has the 2008 recession
motivated more adults to earn their degrees?
A: The nation has seen a trend over the last
10 years of more working adults going back to
school to start or finish a bachelor’s degree that
they did not finish in their early 20’s. The
evolving job market also requires more and more
employees to have a bachelor’s degree. Combine
this with adults who are geographically bound
See ASPIRE pg 4