SAN MARCOS — A long-time educator and community college leader, Susan Wyche, has been hired to lead one of Palomar College’s broadest instructional divisions as Dean of Career, Technical, and Extended Education.
Wyche comes to Palomar from Shasta College in Redding, Calif., where she served as a division dean, as well as that institution’s Dean of Economic and Workforce Development.
“As an incoming dean, the first thing I’m doing is surveying the landscape, seeing where the programs are and what they need,” she told Palomar News. “We are a critical engine of economic recovery in the San Diego region and California at large. So what we want to do is put our energy into those programs that are going to get our students out into the industries—into jobs that pay well and are resilient in the face of an ongoing pandemic.”
“We’re also focused on helping students who are unemployed—getting them re-skilled or up-skilled to prepare for how industries have changed in the last few years, and ultimately getting them into jobs,” Wyche added.
“As a champion of student success, Susan has a lot to contribute to our Career, Technical, and Extended Education Division,” said Palomar’s Acting Assistant Superintendent/Vice President for Instruction, Shayla Sivert. “We look forward to working together to achieve the Division’s goals and further student success.”
As Dean, Wyche will lead a large and diverse academic division that ranges from Architecture to Apprenticeship, Public Safety and Nutrition. The full list of Career, Technical and Extended Education programs and departments includes:
Cooperative Education
Architecture
Construction Inspection
Drafting Technology
Fashion
Industrial Technology
Interior Design
Nutrition
Emergency Medical Education
Apprenticeship Training
Fire Academy
Police Academy
Administration of Justice
Fire Technology
Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration
Auto Body
Automotive Technology
Cabinet and Furniture Technology
Diesel Mechanics
Public Works Management
Water and Wastewater Technology
Welding
“This area of the college is key to serving the region’s workforce needs, and it is a pleasure to welcome such a strong and experienced leader to the division,” said Interim Superintendent/President Dr. Jack Kahn.
Wyche brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, having started at San Diego State University as a liberal arts professor. She holds a Ph.D in English, has taught at Washington State University, CSU Monterrey Bay, and spent a decade working in Hawaii before returning to her roots in Redding, where she attended Shasta College as a young woman.
“I’m a proud graduate of the community college system,” she said. “Like a lot of people, I couldn’t attend a four-year college right away, so I stayed home and attended community college. I’m very fond of what community colleges do for their students.”
