Gaston College president retires after 25 years

Gaston College has changed quite a bit since Pat Skinner became its president.

When Skinner made the move from Ohio to Gaston County in August 1994, Gaston College, a beautiful campus then and now, only existed beside U.S. 321.

“In the early days, we didn’t have very many buildings. We didn’t have hot water in our science building. We didn’t have a decent library,” Skinner said recently. “I knew that there was a lot of things to be done, but that’s the challenge.”

Skinner had only visited Charlotte once before, when she was briefly stranded on a plane headed elsewhere. While in town for her interview, she dined at Cracker Barrel and ordered a glass of tea.

“I didn’t know there was such a thing as sweet tea, so I proceeded to pour sugar, and I’m going, ‘something is wrong with this,’” she laughed.

Two years after her start, Gaston College’s Lincoln Campus in Lincolnton, the Morris Library and Media Center and the Pearson Life Skills building were established, marking the beginning of significant growth at the college.

Instructional and administrative space more than doubled with the addition of 11 buildings during Skinner’s tenure, with the new Veterinary Medical Technology facility scheduled to open this year.

While bringing new life to the campus, Skinner and her administration have never lost sight of the objective.

“It’s always been about the students and what we can do for the students, how we can help to hire and retain the very best people,” Skinner said.

Gaston College’s first graduating class under her leadership consisted of 347 graduates; the college graduated its largest class in 2018 with 1,455 graduates.

As she retires from her 50-plus year career in higher education at the end of February, Skinner’s left with nothing but fond memories of a community dedicated to Gaston College’s success for the last 25 years.

Walking away on Feb. 28 will be the hardest part, she said.

“All the wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” Skinner said, with a tear in her eye, “we’re like family.”

Twenty-five years, a milestone anniversary, seemed like the right time to step back from the job that rarely grants a break. Even on a vacation, the urge to check her email still haunted her.

“There just isn’t time. It’s all so consuming. It’s a 24/7 job,” Skinner said.

But rather than seeing the end, Skinner sees a new beginning.

With the extra time, she looks forward to traveling to see her friends and spending more time with her four grandchildren, two of which she’ll attend summer camps with in Lincoln County.

“With the grandkids, its bowling, miniature golf, Kate’s skating, taking them horseback riding, and then we do play Yahtzee and Monopoly.”

Skinner looks around the county and becomes fulfilled by Gaston College’s contribution to the local workforce. Gastonia will remain her home, and she expects that feeling will continue.

“I run into them everywhere,” she said. “EMTs, police officers… I know I’m in good hands.”

You can reach Gavin Stewart at 704-869-1819 or on Twitter @GavinGazette.