(Bradenton, Fla., June 7, 2018) With a continual commitment to a student-focused, community-engaged future, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) has named Dr. Todd Fritch to the newly created position of Executive Vice President and Provost. Serving as both the chief academic officer and chief operating officer of the college, Fritch will lead SCF’s team of deans and academic administrators in developing workforce-driven curriculum to meet the educational needs of the college’s service region while also providing support and leadership for SCF’s vice presidents.
Fritch plans to apply the depth and breadth of his experience to SCF’s five-year strategic plan, led by SCF President Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld. SCF’s “Boldly Engaging” strategic plan includes four key priorities, and the Executive Vice President and Provost will be an integral part of fulfilling all of them. For example, one strategic priority includes increasing SCF’s presence in the rapid growth area east of I-75 and north of the Manatee River. Fritch will play a significant role working with Probstfeld to develop and envision the future for SCF’s newest campus in Parrish.
“Dr. Fritch rose to the top of the proposed candidates due to his 15 years of teaching experience and 13 years of increasingly responsible academic leadership experience,” said Probstfeld. “I’m very excited to have him join me in developing and expanding all forms of educational programs and academic support services.”
“As chief academic officer, my job is to seek out, hire and support the best faculty and to work across all divisions of the college to ensure students have flexible schedule options and rigorous curriculum to prepare them for the demands of today’s workforce,” Fritch said.
He also plans to be a visible presence in the community, meeting regularly with business and civic leaders to ensure SCF continues to be the region’s first choice for innovative, responsive, quality education, workforce training and community partnership.
“This college has a great story to tell. The outcomes SCF is measuring show how we are consistently surpassing other institutions. Our passing rates on the NCLEX-RN certification exam are a prime example; we have exceeded state and national averages for many years,” he said.
Fritch comes to SCF from Shorelight Education, where he served as Chief Academic Officer and Vice President, Global Solutions. Other previous positions encompass a variety of academic administrative roles, including provost, vice president of academic affairs, and dean of graduate and professional studies at American International College, The American College of Greece and Northeastern University.
He received his Ph.D. and Master of Science in geology from Baylor University in Waco, Texas and earned a Bachelor of Science in geology from Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
For more information and to view SCF’s Strategic Plan, visit SCF.edu.