Biography
Joanne Jaeger Tomblin assumed her duties as President of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College on November 16, 1999. In her 28 years of service to the College she has served nine years as President, making her the second highest ranking president in years of service in West Virginia. Prior to becoming President, she served the College as Vice President of Economic and Community Development, and held responsibilities for Management of Campus Facilities, Management of Campus Instructional Programs, Community Relations, Public Relations, Marketing, Graphics and Television Services, Human Resources, Continuing Education, Workforce Development, Fund Raising, the Small Business Development Center, and a variety of special projects. Ms. Tomblin served as an adjunct faculty member teaching in the communications field from 1978 to 1981. She moved to full-time faculty status in 1983, just prior to moving to administration.
President Tomblin currently serves on many state and local committees and organizations including the Education Alliance Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Forward Southern West Virginia Executive Board, the West Virginia Regional Contracting Assistance Center Board and Executive Committee, the Rural Access Corporation, and the West Virginia Workforce Investment Council.
Ms. Tomblin serves as Chair of the Logan Regional Medical Center Board and is an ex-officio member of the Credentialing Committee. She is a member of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, CEDAR of Southern West Virginia, Inc., the Appalachian Regional Rural Community College Initiative Consortium, Delta Kappa Gamma, and ex-officio to the Corridor G Regional Development Authority. She is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Logan and member of its Chancel Choir.
Under Ms. Tomblin’s leadership, Southern attained ten years accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 2003. She has been instrumental in bringing millions of dollars in grant funds and new programs to the College. During her tenure, the College constructed and moved into a new wing at the Lincoln County Comprehensive High School, joined eight colleges at the new Erma Byrd Public Higher Education Center in Raleigh County, renovated a facility in downtown Logan for the Academy for Mine Training and Energy Technologies, and constructed a new 55,000 square-foot Allied Health and Technology Center at the Logan Campus. Throughout her years of service she has been most successful in fostering cooperative relationships and partnerships between business and industry groups, government officials, boards of education and the College.
Thus far, her greatest accomplishment has been the development and creation of the "2020 Major Gifts Campaign," in cooperation with the Southern West Virginia Community College Foundation to achieve a multitude of long-range plans for the future of the College and the district it serves. The kick-off for the campaign was September 2006 with a 2010 goal of seven million dollars. This goal was attained by December 31, 2008. Phase two of the campaign began in January 2010 with an additional seven million dollar goal. Funds raised from the campaign have been utilized to support student financial assistance, new program development, facilities support, and marketing.
Ms. Tomblin holds a B.A. and M.A. in Journalism, and a Doctorate in Humane Letters honorary degree from Marshall University. She is an advocate for community colleges and the unique mission they have throughout West Virginia and the nations.
She is married to Earl Ray Tomblin, the Lieutenant Governor/President of the West Virginia Senate. They have one son, Brent Jaeger, who is a sophomore at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.