The District Board of Trustees of Lake-Sumter State College unanimously selected Rep. John Temple as the college’s next president on Thursday morning.
“As the fastest growing state college in Florida, we are looking forward to Rep. Temple’s leadership of Lake-Sumter State College to continue enhancing the quality of the education we provide to Lake and Sumter Counties,” said Bret Jones, chair of the DBOT. “He understands the crucial role that the college plays in developing and enhancing the workforce of our area, and we know that he will bring his expertise and experience to this role.”
After a thoughtful search process, that included input from student, faculty, staff and the community on the desired leadership qualities for the next president, the DBOT opened applications in July. Trustees reviewed the applications and selected finalists to meet with individually.
Trustees highlighted Temple’s strong knowledge and connection to this area, as well as his leadership experience and their agreement with his vision for the future of the institution.
Temple served as vice president of Workforce Programs at LSSC and is a state representative for Florida’s District 52. He holds a master’s in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University and a bachelor’s in secondary mathematics from Southeastern University.
During the meeting, the trustees also recognized Dr. Elmore Lowery’s student-centered approach to leadership as well as his professional background in both law enforcement and higher education as his strengths.
Dr. James Ross, the third finalist, withdrew his candidacy prior to meeting with the trustees to pursue another role.
Temple’s official start date will be negotiated as part of an employment agreement that will be approved by the DBOT at a future meeting.