TORRINGTON – An overflow crowd welcomed the incoming Eastern Wyoming College President, Dr. Lesley Travers to the community Thursday afternoon during an open house in the Student Center.
The event was arranged to welcome Travers and thanked Dr. Richard Patterson for his years at
the helm.
For two hours, residents, former and current EWC personnel, and students greeted Travers, who had served as the Dean of the School of Business and Industry at Casper College.
“This is a dream come true,” Travers said during an interview after the crowd had thinned. “I’m tickled pink. I feel very welcome.”
Her new position represents the fulfillment of a long-held dream.
“I always wanted to be a leader in a community college,” she said. “I’ve had my eye on Eastern Wyoming College for a long time.”
Travers said that in her new position, she expects EWC will definitely progress because, “There are a lot of good people to help move forward.”
On her agenda are the scheduled accreditation of the Vet Tech program this coming year, and getting to know all of the people on
the campus.
Citing Wyoming’s current fiscal challenges, Travers said, “There is going to be a challenge in keeping up the morale of the staff and getting back up to to speed.
“We have to continue to prepare for the future,” she added, noting the construction of the new building that will house the Cosmetology and Welding programs, and progress on making a new agriculture facility a reality.
And to help get to those future goals, Travers said a new strategic plan is on her radar. “You can’t trot off into the sunset if you don’t know where you’re heading,” she said. “I want to get a lot people involved in the planning.”
For his part, Patterson said the afternoon and his term at EWC had been a great experience.
In addition to his wife, he was joined by three of his four children, his grandchildren, and his mother, as well as numerous old friends and associates.
“This is a good way to end this part of my career,” Patterson said. “It’s like a family reunion, and I feel very good leaving all of this at EWC to Dr. Travers. I can rest easy.”
