By Rebecka Jones, Staff Writer
Pellissippi State Community College’s president, Dr. Anthony Wise, announced his intention to retire after the 2026-2027 year on Friday, September 11. After 30 years, 16 of which were spent as the college’s president, Dr. Wise concludes his service to the state of Tennessee. He explains his cares and hopes for the community built at Pellissippi State in the announcement about his retirement.
“I could have never imagined that I would spend nearly my entire career at this college, or that I would have the privilege of serving as its president for 16 years,” Dr. Wise said in his announcement video on Pellissippi State’s YouTube channel. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunities I have been given throughout those years, but I am especially grateful for the people who make Pellissippi State such a special place.”
Dr. Wise expresses his honor in serving a community where the faculty and staff care deeply about their students and about one another. “I have seen that demonstrated repeatedly,” he explained. “In moments of progress and celebration, but also during times of challenge and significant change.”
He is part of the community that cares about the students, and that is how he wants to be remembered, along with the hard work the faculty and staff have done together. “If people would say that it was evident that I care about our students and our success, it would make me really proud,” he said when I interviewed him about his impact on the college.
Dr. Wise has shown his care for students and faculty by being intentional in his engagement with them. When he was interviewing to be the college president in 2011, an individual from the search committee shared that he would move his office every year to a different part of his business so he could know what was going on in the different departments such as accounting, manufacturing, and purchasing. Likewise, Dr. Wise would spend a full day every few weeks at each of Pellissippi State’s campuses.
“Those students are Pellissippi State students,” he explained. “They should know who I am. They should know that they can come up and ask me questions if there are things that I can help them with.”
He’s carried out that motto by visiting Magnolia, Blount County, and Strawberry Plains and making himself available to students there. He will do everything he can to make sure students get the help and support they need on every campus.
I can speak for Dr. Wise’s openness and care for the student body because he has shown that to me. I remember after an interview I had with him about the renovations happening on campus, we talked about my plans to transfer a semester early to a university. Dr. Wise immediately jumped in and asked me if I needed any support on the transfer process. He told me I could always reach out to him if I ever have any questions. I appreciated how quickly he went to help me and make sure I was on the right track to graduate and transfer.
Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of building a community at Pellissippi State not only by being open to students needing support, but also by being involved in important student events. “First and foremost, I love commencement day,” he responded when I asked him about his most memorable experiences as the college president. “It’s a real privilege to get up there and to hand a diploma and shake hands with the students who are graduating, and to celebrate their success.”
He has seen students perform on stage here on campus, in the community, and even in another country. Dr. Wise has been abroad to hear Pellissippi State’s choir perform on the beaches of Normandy and has traveled with the racing team to see them compete against universities. He was on a global studies program this past summer and bought ice cream for students. Even the little interactions, such as visiting classes to see how students engaged with their professors, were important to him. “Those are the things closest to my heart,” he said.
Being present for students while they take their next step in life and go on new adventures such as graduation or studying abroad is how Dr. Wise expresses his compassion towards them and emphasizes their importance to Pellissippi State. “They’re the heart of the institution,” he explained. “We’re really here to serve and create great opportunities for them.”
His involvement ties to wanting to build a sense of community at the college. It’s harder to create a community at a college without dorms or living spaces, so the staff and faculty at Pellissippi State offer programs and events to help students get involved and find their people. This is part of Dr. Wise’s legacy: wanting to have a community of and with students.
The college’s student-led journal, Imaginary Gardens, is an example of a community that Dr. Wise brought up. He has had the honor of supporting communities like these and helping them reach students with similar passions and a desire to find a place to be involved.
Despite the bittersweet news about his retirement, Dr. Wise promises to remain fully committed to making this year another outstanding year for the college and to supporting the transition to the next leader of Pellissippi State. The Tennessee Board of Regents will share more information about a new leader as the process moves forward.
“We will share opportunities during the coming months to reflect on our work together and to celebrate what this community college has accomplished,” explains the college president. “I look forward to sharing this final academic year with all of you.”
