Pat Edmunds, Arkansas Tech Career Center (ATCC) director, received the Arkansas Career and Technical Education (ACTE) postsecondary professional of the year award during the ACTE Conference July 12-13 in Hot Springs.
Edmunds has served as ATCC director since 2010. Under her leadership, ATCC enrollment has increased by almost 200 percent.
Through its location in Russellville and its satellite locations throughout the Arkansas River Valley, ATCC provides educational opportunities for students from 19 school districts. ATCC students earned 4,680 concurrent credit college hours toward certificates of proficiency and career readiness during the 2021-22 academic year.
“Ms. Edmunds puts the best interests of students at the forefront of every decision she makes for ATCC,” said Bruce Sikes, Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus chancellor. “She believes in the potential of every student, and the success of ATCC is evidence of her convictions. She is an advocate for all students, especially students who have been underserved and those who have found it difficult to believe in themselves. This award is a deserved recognition for an outstanding leader and individual.”
Edmunds is a member of the Russellville Area Alliance Workforce Development Cabinet and is a contributor to workforce education and economic development initiatives in the Arkansas River Valley and the State of Arkansas.
She also serves on the 360 Education and Industry Alliance, which has a mission of promoting workforce education and economic development through partnerships between educators and industry leaders.
Edmunds holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of the Ozarks and a Master of Education degree in educational leadership and administration from Harding University.
“Ms. Edmunds believes in taking students where they are and supporting, scaffolding, encouraging and caring about them until they reach their goals…often times goals they thought were unattainable,” said Dr. Sheila Jacobs, chief academic officer at ATU-Ozark. “ATCC’s strong partnership with Rockline Industries has provided many examples of students overcoming their own doubts and succeeding as impressive, determined student interns/workers with a work ethic that will carry them throughout their lives.”
Learn more about ATCC at www.atu.edu/careercenter.
