Durham Tech chief started slow

Bill Ingram, chosen to succeed Phail Wynn, knows the throes of youth. He flunked out of college twice before getting a degree

DURHAM -- Bill Ingram, the Durham Community College administrator tapped this week by the school's trustees to be the next president, took nine years to get his bachelor's degree.

He knows firsthand about the challenges many students face when they start college immediately after high school.

"I wish the community college movement had been in place when I was a young person," Ingram said Thursday. "I enjoyed my salad days and flunked out of college twice. I played a lot of bridge."

The third attempt proved the charm, leading a once easily distracted student into the role of educator and administrator.

Ingram, who has served as Durham Tech senior vice president and chief instructional officer since 1995, was selected to preside over a community college that Phail Wynn has led for the past 27 years.

The appointment takes effect Jan. 1 and is contingent upon approval of the State Board of Community Colleges. The board is to take up the matter Oct. 19.

The Durham Tech trustees, who met for three hours Wednesday, unanimously approved Ingram's selection.

The news was met with great applause at Durham Tech and beyond on Thursday.

"There was an overwhelming cheer that went out when the e-mail was read on the floor that I work on," said Penny Gluck, who teaches critical thinking. "Not only has he been an effective leader, he has also been very genuine.

"He's going to be a president that I feel is really going to embrace the essence of what I feel a community college is."

During his 23 years at Durham Tech, Ingram has kept the needs of the students at the forefront as director of continuing education, director of off-campus programs and the weekend college, and as dean of technical and vocational programs.

"He has extensive knowledge of Durham Tech and our service area," said Sue Jackson, dean of continuing education. "He brings a good mix of experience."

Wynn said Thursday that he would be leaving the school in good hands.

"He's well-prepared to be successful," Wynn said. "He's a very smart guy, very astute."

Under Wynn's leadership, Durham Tech adapted to the changing economics of Durham and the Triangle. Wynn helped forge close relationships with public schools and beefed up job-training programs that have helped lure major industries.

Ingram said Thursday that he has no plans for sweeping changes, but he knows Durham Tech has to be responsive to the needs and desires of its students and the Durham and Orange county communities it serves. That might mean further adaptation.

Durham Tech might soon offer more allied health-care educational and job-training opportunities to meet the demands of the Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill teaching hospitals, in addition to Durham Regional Hospital and Wake County health-care facilities.

"Durham's the City of Medicine," Ingram said, "and Chapel Hill is not far behind."

There are more biological and pharmaceutical jobs springing up at Research Triangle Park, and people seeking midlife career changes and other students could look to Durham Tech for more training in those fields.

Durham Tech, which serves about 25,000 students each year, is set to open an Orange County campus next year.

"We are a responsive institution," Ingram said. "We respond to the needs of the community."

Ingram made his way through Ohio Wesleyan University working as a campus police officer for one year and then as the chief for the remainder of his time there. He said helping the students keeps him charged up about the job.

"I came down here in 1981 and was drawn to working in education because I enjoy working with people who want to make their lives better," Ingram said. "One of the things that makes this nation great is that a person's ambition and hard work means something here. We don't just tell a person what they're going to do. We allow students to have ambition. We allow students to dream."