Hartsville, S.C. —  Coker College president Dr. B. James Dawson has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year and that a team has been formed to coordinate the search for his successor. Dawson became the 15th president of Coker College in July 2002.

“Jim’s leadership of Coker College has been exceptional and particularly beneficial in guiding the institution into its second century as a distinguished liberal arts college,” said Charles L. Sullivan, chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees. “While the college community will continue to benefit from his leadership and vision until July 2009, we are very excited about the college’s future.”

Coker College’s accomplishments during Dawson’s tenure as president include the successful completion a $23 million campaign in 2005. This fundraising effort enabled the college to make significant investments in the campus community, including the construction of the 40,000-square foot, $6.5 million Charles W. and Joan S. Library-Information Technology Center. Several millions of dollars also went to improving academic programs, residence halls and campus landscaping.

Coker College has experienced a period of considerable enrollment growth during Dawson’s presidency. The number of traditional students, those aged 18 to 22, increased 47% to an all-time school high 643. This year, 420 students live on campus, filling the college’s five residence halls to capacity. To help accommodate the college’s growth, Dawson oversaw a $3 million renovation of Grannis Residence Hall in 2005 that converted the 1969 building into modern apartment-like housing.

“Jim Dawson has set a high precedent for his successor to follow,” said Karen Lear, head of the President’s Transition Committee and a 1998 Coker College graduate. “We are committed to finding the right campus leader to build on his legacy and guide the college’s future success.”

Coker is an independent, comprehensive liberal arts college founded in 1908. The living and learning environment at Coker fosters participation in the community of scholarship and the development of ethical character, leadership skills and social responsibility. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Coker one of “America’s Best Colleges.” The Princeton Review rates Coker a “Best Southeastern College” based on academic reputation and student satisfaction.

 

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