Sedalia, Missouri – March 9, 2022 – The State Fair Community College Board of Trustees have named Dr. Brent Bates as the sixth president of the college. Dr. Bates was unanimously selected as the new president and will start his new duties July 1, 2022.
A comprehensive nationwide search was conducted with more than 35 applicants vying for the position to become the next president to lead SFCC in central Missouri. The search was started after Dr. Joanna Anderson announced in August 2021 her retirement at the end of June 2022.
Dr. Bates will continue his commitment to student success and staying active in the Sedalia community. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Ft. Hayes State University in Kansas, a Master of Arts degree in Communication from Pittsburg State University in Kansas and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Kansas State University in Manhattan.
He has developed a passion for community colleges during his 40-year tenure in higher education. His career started at Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas, holding teaching positions and moving through administrative roles prior to SFCC.
Upon coming to SFCC, he has held many positions of leadership during his 20-year tenure, currently serving as Vice President of Educational and Student Support Services. Under his leadership, new academic and technical programs have been developed for student success along with expanding workforce development. The college has received recognition from local, state and national entities for its expansion of extended campus operations in Boonville, Clinton, Eldon, and Lake of the Ozarks, which has made education and training more accessible to students of all ages.
Dr. Bates stated, “I am humbled and honored by the confidence the board and this community have placed on me as the next SFCC president. It is my dream job, and I so look forward to serving our communities, our faculty and staff, and our students.”
Dr. Bates is married to Marqueta Kay Bates, and they have a 15-year-old son, Jackson, who is a freshman at Smith-Cotton High School. He also has two stepchildren, seven step-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren, most of whom live in the area.
