Tom Keegan, who led Peninsula College through an unprecedented decade of growth with new campus buildings and facilities in Port Angeles as well as larger classroom satellites in Port Townsend and Forks, is leaving.
Keegan announced Thursday that he accepted the presidency of Skagit Valley College, where he received his associate of arts degree in 1978 and was the lead scorer and captain of its championship soccer team.
“I’m honored to be able to lead a great college and the college that set me on my [career] path,” he said during an interview Thursday.
Keegan, 53, was picked Wednesday from an original pool of 40 candidates to lead the much larger college — which also has learning operations on Whidbey Island and into the San Juans — and is expected to start his new job in Mount Vernon sometime early next year.
He became head of Peninsula College 10 years ago and oversaw the start of its first four-year program and completion of several buildings on the main Port Angeles campus, including newly opened Maier Hall, a new library, state-of-the-art soccer complex and The Longhouse.
Also under Keegan’s tenure, Peninsula expanded its learning facilities by moving into a building of Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend and into a larger space in downtown Forks.
“He’s been a visionary leader, and we’ve appreciated his service,” Peninsula College Board of Trustees Chairwoman Julie McCulloch said.
She said the board will begin discussing the selection process for a new president at its next meeting, Nov. 1.
Skagit Valley College has an enrollment of 23,000; Peninsula College has about 8,100 students.
Keegan lauded Peninsula College for being an innovator in areas such as workforce education and added that he is proud to have worked with a staff with a strong sense of community and a commitment to education.
“It’s the people who make the college,” he said.
“It’s the individuals, their sense of community.”
Skagit Valley College board member John Stephens said Keegan was selected to replace outgoing President Gary Tollefson because he was seen as a man with a vision who works well with community groups and leaders.
“We’re happy to have seen he’s been able to do so many good things for your community,” he said.
“And we’re hoping that he can do the same kind of things for us.”
Stephens said Tollefson is scheduled to leave Jan. 1, but a starting date for Keegan has not been determined.
“We want to be fair to Peninsula College,” he said, “so he can make arrangements.”
Stephens said Keegan’s pay is still to be negotiated.
Jerry Nichols, Peninsula College Foundation board member, and Port Angeles School District Superintendent Jane Pryne both said he will be missed.
Nichols said Keegan was not the kind of administrator who was there to keep the seat warm.
“He’s been great, and you can see that in the buildings we have here now,” he said.
Pryne called Keegan a down-to-earth but professional college president.
“He’s wonderful to work with,” she said. “He’s very professional, and yet he is truly a stellar human being.”
Keegan went on from Skagit to earn a master’s degree in education from Western Washington University and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Washington.
Prior to coming to Peninsula College, he was president of instruction and student services at Columbia Basin College and the vice president for student success at South Puget Sound Community College.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
