The Spoon River College Board of Trustees has selected Curtis E. Oldfield as the college’s eighth president. The selection was announced at press conferences held on the college’s Canton and Macomb campuses and at the Havana and Rushville Centers on Tuesday, April 10. Oldfield currently serves as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) in Peosta, Iowa. He will be replacing Spoon River College president Dr. Robert Ritschel who is retiring May 22, 2012.
"Mr. Oldfield brings experience in working to serve a diverse range of students seeking college transfer preparation, workforce training and career enhancement,” said Gayle Strode Blodgett, chair of the Spoon River College Board of Trustees. “This is a very exciting time for Spoon River College and we are looking forward to working with the new president as we strive to provide the growing range of programs and services for all residents in the district.”
The appointment as SRC president marks a return to his roots for Oldfield. Originally from Farmington, he earned an Associate in Applied Science from Spoon River College in 1995. Prior to his position as Vice President of Academic Affairs at NICC, he served as the Dean of Instruction at Spoon River College and was also an Agriculture Instructor at the college and for the Roseville School District.
“I am excited to come back to Spoon River College and work with the dedicated Board of Trustees and excellent faculty and staff, to provide exceptional learning experiences for all who utilize SRC,” Oldfield said. “Being an alumnus from SRC, I am proud to be able to give back to an institution that gave me so much.”
Oldfield has a Master of Science in Agriculture Education from University of Illinois, a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education from Illinois State University and an Associate in Applied Science from Spoon River College. He is to receive his Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from Iowa State University in winter 2012.
While at NICC, Oldfield served on the Junior Achievement Board of Directors, the Dubuque Symphony Board of Directors, and was a member of the Dubuque Young Professionals. He was selected as a Rising Star in Dubuque by the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.
During his time as Dean of Instruction at Spoon River College, Oldfield served on the Fulton County Board, the Fulton County Farm Bureau Board, the Board of the Fulton-Schulyer Chapter of the American Red Cross, and was a member of the Canton Kiwanis.
Oldfield and his wife Pattie, who graduated from SRC in 1996, have two children, Lauren and Nick.
The Board is expected to approve a contract with Oldfield at its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. Mr. Oldfield’s anticipated start date at Spoon River College is July 1, 2012. He was one of six candidates interviewed by the Spoon River College Board of Trustees. He visited the college February 29 and met with faculty, staff, and community members.
Spoon River College is a two-year, public community college in West Central Illinois dedicated to providing students a quality education. With campuses and Community Outreach Offices in Canton and Macomb and new Learning Centers in Havana and Rushville, Spoon River College serves more than 4,000 credit students per year in a 1,566 square miles area including portions of Fulton, McDonough, Mason, Schuyler and Knox counties.
