Walters State Community College’s first president, Dr. James Wesley Clark, passed away in Johnson City on July 14 following a brief illness.
Clark was appointed as Walters State’s founding president in 1969.
“The college is appreciative of the leadership provided by Dr. Clark during the founding of Walters State, from establishing classes throughout the community while the college’s first building was being completed to hiring the first cohort of faculty,” said Walters State President Dr. Wade McCamey.
“Dr. Clark was truly a founding father of this institution and a pioneer in the establishment of community colleges, which was a new concept in higher education in the late 1960s and early 1970s,” McCamey added.
Clark served as president of Walters State until 1974.  Under his leadership, all basic academic courses and several career programs were initiated, including law enforcement, secretarial science, environmental health, agri-business, manufacturing, library services and architectural technology.
Enrollment grew from 414 students to 1,932 during his tenure. He handed out the first Walters State diploma during the college’s first commencement in 1972. The college received accreditation for the first time with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools under Dr. Clark. And in addition to overseeing the planning and construction of the college’s first building, access to higher education was enhanced through off-campus instruction that was offered in communities throughout Walters State’s service area.
“On a personal note, as a young high school principal serving in Walters State’s service area during the early 1970s, I was invited by Dr. Clark to visit the Morristown campus for the purpose of an initial orientation,” McCamey said.  “I found Dr. Clark to be a gracious host and one who exhibited extreme pride in establishing a new community college for this region.”

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