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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           7/26/2018

CONTACT: LISA GARRETT, 646-1506

PENDLETON --- Dr. Ronnie L. Booth, president of Tri-County Technical College, will deliver the College's summer commencement address Saturday, August 4, at 6 p.m. at Clemson University’s Brooks Center.

Approximately 357 students will receive degrees, diplomas and/or certificates.  In addition to families and guests of the graduates, alumni and other friends of the College are invited to attend the ceremony.

Dr. Booth became the College's third president on July 1, 2003.  During his fourteen years at Tri-County, Dr. Booth has launched three community campuses, three Workforce Training Centers, an Economic Development Center, and a state-of-the-art Industrial Technology Center. In addition, he has led the establishment of several groundbreaking initiatives, including the nationally-recognized Bridge to Clemson program with Clemson University and the Connect to College program for high school dropouts.     

During the 2017-18 academic year, Tri-County Technical College earned the top ranking in student success, transfer and graduation among the 16 colleges in the S.C. Technical College System during the 2017-18 academic year.  The College also ranked in the top five percent nationally for successful transfers to four-year colleges and universities and third in the United States for the number of students trained in the nationally-recognized Manufacturing Skills Standard Certification (MSSC) program.  The College launched the first Michelin Manufacturing Scholars program, which is now used as a model across the State and was the first in South Carolina to implement the I-BEST Manufacturing Pathway Program for under-resourced adults who want to gain marketable skills. The Technical Career Pathways program for high school students grew from seven to well over 100 students, and dual enrollment of high school students has grown 33 percent over a five-year period, enrolling 730 students this year. The Tri-County Technical College Foundation, the largest in the State Technical College System, raised more than $1 million dollars this year, achieving its highest mark since 2011.

A native of Aiken, Dr. Booth holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration, a master’s in education in student personnel services, and a Ph.D. in higher education leadership and policies from the University of South Carolina. He also holds a master of arts in theological studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Clemson University.

He is active in a number of professional associations, civic groups, and State and national boards, including the Board of Trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Executive Committee of the Upstate SC Alliance; Board of Directors for Anderson County Economic Development, Duke Energy South Carolina President’s Advisory Board; Alliance Pickens, WorkLink, Oconee Economic Alliance, SENIOR Solutions, Community Colleges of Appalachia, Partnership for Academic and Career Education and Tamassee DAR School. He is a former member of the board of directors and executive committee for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and former chair of the AACC Finance Committee, Leadership South Carolina Board of Directors, and Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce.

In 2015, he was named the Southern Region Winner of the Chief Executive Officer Award by the Association of Community College Trustees. He is the recipient of the 2017 Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award.  He was named one of “15 over 50” for 2018 by the Anderson-Independent Mail.

He is married to Sara Booth and they have two adult daughters, Ashley and Erin, and two granddaughters. They make their home in Anderson.

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