By Brenda Sutherlin
The office of Dr. Jimmy Hodges, the President of Calhoun Community College, is located in the Math and Science Building on the third floor. The spacious office is impressive and yet inviting. The coral-colored side chairs and highly polished hardwood floors glistened from the overhead dome-shaped light. There were glass dividers that separated the reception area from the office area. Belinda Noe, the administrative secretary, who was sitting on the opposite side of the divider was cordial and welcoming.
Hodges was appointed Calhoun’s President during the summer, after serving as interim president during the pandemic.
Hodges is originally from Cullman, Alabama. He and his wife of 39 years are the proud parents of three adult children and seven grandchildren. He met his wife in Cullman at the drive-thru at Burger Chef. He said that he fell in love with her when he saw her. When he spoke of his wife he beamed, and a smile spread across his face. He said that if anyone was around him for any length of time everyone knows that, “I love my wife.”
Moving the conversation on to his academic success Hodges said, “I do not say this with pride, but when I was in school, I had to attend summer school for two years. I was not a very good student academically.”
Even though he is not proud of these experiences, as he reminisces over his life, he sees the hand of God that was preparing him for where he is today. After graduation from high school, he fell in love with education. “God will use things in our lives to get us where we need to be.”
Hodges said that his grandfather did not give him much advice, but did tell him, “get yourself an education, people can’t take that away.”
“In the early part of my career, I had the opportunity to work as a classroom teacher, and I know what it is like to put together lesson plans.”
Hodges said that when he was studying for his master’s degree, one of his former teachers saw him at the library and said to him, “this is not a place you hang out”, (jokingly.) His wife refers to him as a lifelong student.
Hodges was asked where he envisions Calhoun Community College on a global scale in the next five years in academics.
He said that Calhoun Community College is among the top colleges in the country where students receive advanced manufacturing degrees and certificates. The college is on the “cutting edge” of technology. “It is a thrill to live in North Alabama with Huntsville being voted the best place to live in the USA,” Hodges said.
The workforce is high in North Alabama because of the college’s ability to equip individuals for the workforce. This Fall 2022 or early Spring 2023, groundbreaking will begin for a new welding and manual machine building with robotics.
Hodges said that he would encourage potential students to tour the welding facility, meet the instructor and practice welding. In addition to this new endeavor, sports have been brought back to the campus of Calhoun Community College, and there is a lot of buzz and excitement on the campus related to this addition.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is high ranking on the agenda at the college. This past summer six cyber security camps were presented.
A “Sweety Camp” was offered this summer for females that consisted of a welding and electrical program. The students constructed a lamp utilizing their electrical and welding skills and presented it to Hodges.
With all of these new things happening at the college, Hodges was asked if there was any conflict of schedules or students being prevented from enrolling in classes that they needed. He said not at this time and if there were conflicts, he would make sure it was taken care of because he was very sensitive to this situation. He said, “I talk to students as I walk around the campus, and often I will stick my head in the classroom.”
The COVID-19 Pandemic is still affecting students and modes of instruction. Hodges said that “we have social services that offer mental health counseling.”
Although in-person attendance is provided, online class attendance is at a record high. He said that most students at Calhoun Community College need hands-on instruction.
In closing, Hodges said, “everything that has happened to me in life has helped to prepare me for this position. If our students will do the task that is set before them, they will be successful.”