Travis Durham

Director of Student Engagement and Accountability

Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies, South College

Bachelor of Social Work, Mars Hill University

Master of Social Work, University of South Carolina

Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, East Tennessee State University

In his role as director of student engagement and accountability, Travis Durham is committed to TCTC’s vision of transforming lives and building strong communities, one student at a time.

Knowing that not all students come to TCTC college ready, Durham says that means it’s important that we meet them where they are in life and help them find the tools and resources to meet all of their needs – which can be educational, social, emotional and/or financial. 

Durham knows first-hand that college can be especially hard for first-gen students. Durham is the first in his immediate family to finish college.

Durham can personally relate as he works with groups of students to help improve outcomes, remove barriers, and connect to resources.

Like many of his friends at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, N.C., in 1993, 18-year-old Durham and his friends were “just trying to figure it out.”

College seemed out of reach for Durham, who grew up in a single parent home.  No one in his family had been to college so it was daunting to even think about admissions requirements, understanding college applications, and filling out financial aid forms.

He applied to and was accepted to Asheville Buncombe Technical College but didn’t do well academically his first semester. “I withdrew because I didn’t know what I wanted. There was no career services department or counselors to help me.  I had to figure it out alone.”

He did receive a scholarship, but he said, “I wasn’t motivated. I didn’t have a career interest or goal in mind.” 

He withdrew from college and worked for a year in factories on the assembly line through a temp agency. “I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do,” said Durham, who excelled at math and social studies in school. “I had a passion for history and was interested in why individuals make decisions and how it all connects them to their community and the world.” 

A high school friend’s father alerted him to a position at a juvenile detention facility as a cottage tech, someone who supervised the day-to-day activities of young men, ages middle school to 20, who were convicted of  crimes.  After a few months on the job, Durham was promoted to supervise the students on the disciplinary ward. “It was the most challenging group,” said Durham.

It changed his life and his perspective on life.

It was a lock down facility with two staff members and 10- 12 students per wing. 

“It was a growth experience for me,” he said.

“I went in by developing relationships, not by being the tough guy because I knew that I was outnumbered.  I learned to develop relationships and set boundaries for these young men. I also figured out my passion for working with individuals with challenges. I understood that because of a lack of access to resources and just life in general, they had made poor choices,” he said.

“I served as a positive role model who became a mentor to the students.  I made headway with kids who were hard to reach. I knew if I encouraged them in a non-judgmental manner and helped them to access resources, they could be successful,” he said.

Durham enrolled in South College and earned an associate degree in Paralegal Studies. He resigned from his position at the juvenile detention facility to further his education.

“It was hard to leave the students at the detention facility but not hard to leave the system,” he said.

“The job at the juvenile detention facility led me to social work.  I figured out my passion - helping people to grow and to remove barriers. I found my career path and I was motivated,” he said.

Durham transferred to Mars Hill University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work by taking advantage of the evening program because he worked a full-time job during the day and a part-time job on the weekends.

While working on his bachelor’s degree, Durham worked at the Department of Social Services as a prevention social worker.  He made home visits and helped people achieve economic mobility by helping to remove barriers.

Later he earned a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of South Carolina and became an educator.

“It was a perfect fit – education and social work,” said Durham who worked as a school social worker, assistant principal and executive director of student services for Asheville City Schools for over a decade. 

“The most challenging students need the best people is my philosophy,” he said. When Durham was hired at the Randolph Learning Center, an alternative school for middle and high school students   it had the least resources of any school in the district. Four years later, it had the most resources, in part through Durham’s work with parents, students, district employees, community partners, and the school board.

Durham was encouraged by the district’s leadership team to apply for an assistant principal position. Durham was reluctant to apply because he didn’t want to decrease his direct contact with students but was reminded that he could have a greater impact on students in the role. “I applied for the job as assistant principal at a middle school in Asheville because I realized I could have more impact in a leadership position,” he said.

Durham completed his Ed.S. degree in educational leadership and policy analysis while working as an assistant principal.

After three years, he became director of student services for the school district and stayed in that position for three years.

He and his family moved to the Upstate where he served as director of related educational services for the S.C. School for the Deaf and Blind for three years.

In 2019, he saw a position at TCTC that caught his eye.

“I liked TCTC’s vision, one student at a time, as well as the student advocacy piece of the job. My values, beliefs and skill set aligned with TCTC’s mission and vision,” he said.

As a first-gen student himself, the words one student at a time are especially meaningful and impactful to Durham.

“I like working with students, including the most challenging. I learned a long time ago you can’t help a person until they trust and respect you.”

As director of student engagement and accountability, his duties are varied and diverse, just like the TCTC population. He is responsible for the oversight and management of student development programs and services supporting student engagement that include student accountability and advocacy. 

He approaches every student as an individual, always advocating for them in the context of their different identities by creating and refining student organizations as safe spaces that focus on individual and group growth and development.  His work is never centered on himself but about using his skills to maximize the potential for others, whether in training sessions with faculty and staff learning more about underrepresented and underresourced students or advocating for students as an advisor for various club organizations which represent Men of Purpose, veterans and LGBTQ+ students.

“I help them by asking questions that aren’t broad. You get answers that you can work with. In the midst of a challenge, you must recognize what is going well - don’t just focus on the challenges, find positives. It’s a strengths-based approach,” he said. This leads to more in-depth conversation that helps him understand their specific needs, which can be the lack of a computer or Wi-Fi, or transportation or food insecurity.

“At TCTC, we invest in student engagement to ensure that students succeed, persist and find solutions to problems. We want to give students a transformative experience that help them to excel inside and outside of the classroom.”