The Making of an Urban Community College in a Union and Political Environment:

About the Book

The manuscript will carefully discuss the beginning and turbulent struggle of Wayne County Community College in the 60s; the middle years of growth and pain of the 70s; the crisis of the 80s that almost closed the college; the growth in the 90s; and its current status of productivity and stability. In addition, the book will address community and instructional leaders’ roles, duties, responsibilities, and styles. Their commitments and obligations in the teaching, learning, and leadership development process will also be addressed. The document will demonstrate how to plan, how to develop your own leadership style, and how to inspire leadership in others. This body of work is an outgrowth of many years of discussions between citizens of Detroit; former students, teachers, and staff; political and community leaders; and the board of trustees and former presidents of Wayne County Community College in Detroit, Michigan, whom I owe a tremendous amount of admiration, respect, and appreciation too.

About the Author

Dr. Willie J. Greer Kimmons was born in Hernando, Mississippi. He was reared in Memphis, Tennessee. He attended public school and received his high school diploma from Frederick Douglass High School in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a student athlete and received an athletic scholarship to attend Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. While at Lincoln University, he was active in the student government association and ROTC. Willie Kimmons served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army Adjutant General’s Corps during the Vietnam era as an administrative data processing and personnel officer. Dr. Kimmons received his bachelor’s of science degree in health education and psychology from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. He received both a master’s of science degree in curriculum and instruction and a doctorate degree in education administration and supervision in higher education from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois at the age of twenty-eight. Dr. Kimmons served as president of the Downtown Campus of Wayne County Community College from 1979–1983. The Downtown Campus was the showpiece for the Wayne County Community College District serving more than 5,500 students in its first year of operation. He was the former vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama, and former interim president of Trenholm State Technical College in Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. Willie Kimmons was the founding chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, Indiana. Dr. Kimmons has served at every level—from classroom teacher, college professor, college dean, vice president, president, and chancellor of two- and four-year colleges and universities—in the higher education teaching and learning process with dedication and distinction. His interest in education stems from a background of training and experience in the area of human development, leadership, and community service. He is always eager to promote learning and development of the student by setting the atmosphere to motivate not only the student but also the individuals within the educational arena. Dr. Willie Kimmons has spent his entire career getting to the root of understanding the nature of issues of today’s parents, teachers, and students. He has successfully dealt with many of the challenges of today’s students throughout his career as a professional educator and community activist. His life’s ambition is to expand enthusiasm for education and continue his commitment and dedication to the learner. Dr. Kimmons’ philosophy is “that institutions should be committed to providing quality educational and health-care services and should be held accountable by the communities they serve.” He welcomes the challenge of giving and sharing leadership that supports these goals. He further believes that, by uniting our energies and supporting our educational and health care systems, we will be able to keep our students academically challenged and our citizens better prepared for life. Dr. Willie J. Kimmons is the author of five books. One of his current two books is A Parenting Guidebook, written for parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, schools, churches, and communities to help save our children and save our schools. His godmother, the late, great Honorable Shirley Chisholm, former member of the US Congress, encouraged him to write the parenting guidebook. The second of the two current books is The Making of an Urban Community College in a Union and Political Environment: A Historical Perspective of Wayne County Community College District, Detroit, Michigan (1964-2015). Dr. Kimmons’s motto is, “Help me to help somebody to save our children and save our schools. Never, ever, give up on our children because our children are our greatest resource. Our children are an extension of us, and our children are our future.” Currently, he is an educational consultant for PreK–16 schools; title I schools; teachers and parents; amd an author and motivational speaker. He has given more than five hundred presentations and lectures to a variety of organizations including educational associations; chambers of commerce; elementary, middle, and high schools; two-year colleges, four-year colleges, and universities; churches and other religious groups; Kiwanis; Rotary; Lions; NAACP; Urban League; economic development organizations; political groups; Greek organizations; youth groups; parenting groups; daycare centers; Head Start programs; and civic and other community organizations. Dr. Kimmons is a voice for partners in education. In 2005, he founded his corporation, Save Children Save Schools, Inc. It is an educational consultant service located at 1653 Lawrence Circle, Daytona Beach, Florida 32117; office (386) 451-4780; fax (386) 253-4920; e-mail address: wjkimmons@aol.com. His website is www.savechildrensaveschools.com.