2 minute read
Business & Leadership: Northshore Technical Community College
Dr. Jim Carlson
Leading with Purpose at NTCC
For Dr. Jim Carlson, the decision to pursue a career in higher education was shaped by his own experience as a student at the University of Southern Mississippi. It was there that faculty and staff mentors showed him the power of education to inspire, transform, and lift others up. That influence stayed with him, setting him on a path that has now spanned 27 years and a range of leadership roles, from faculty member to department chair, director, dean, vice chancellor, and now chancellor of Northshore Technical Community College.
“I didn’t set out to become a community college chancellor,” he says, “but I’m grateful for the opportunity to help other people achieve their dreams and goals.”
His leadership style is straightforward and effective: hire good people, empower them to lead, and step aside so they can do their work. It is a philosophy that has guided him through moments of growth and moments of challenge.
One of the most defining moments in his career came in 2020 when he was asked to serve as interim chancellor at River Parishes Community College. At the time, the region was navigating both a global pandemic and the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. The experience, he says, was never part of his academic training, but it became one of the greatest teaching moments of his life. It also prepared him to take the helm at NTCC.
Carlson credits two mentors with shaping his leadership journey: Dr. Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, and Dr. William Wainwright, his predecessor at NTCC. Both, he says, gave him space to lead and bring ideas to life.
Today, NTCC is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state, serving over 6,000 students. Major expansions are underway at campuses in Hammond, Bogalusa, and Livingston Parish - investments that reflect both the momentum of the college and Carlson’s steady hand at the wheel.
With campus locations in Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes, NTCC is your community college of the Northshore.
