Community
will miss Dr. David Potter
In life, as most of us know, the good must be taken with
the bad. This is certainly true concerning the recent announcement
that Delta State University’s own Dr. David Potter
is leaving his position of president to become Mississippi’s
new Commissioner of Higher Learning.
The good being, of course, that our state will benefit from
having the kind of experience and caring that David Potter
is going to bring to this new job. The bad being that Delta
State, Cleveland—and the Delta as a whole—will
be losing that same experience and caring that we have benefited
from so very much.
When Dr. Potter and his wife, Pam, arrived at Delta State
in 1999 it was obvious that these two talented and dedicated
individuals were going to better the school and the community.
This they have done, in more ways than I can even begin
to list in the space of this column.
Of course, it’s one thing to talk about someone’s
credentials, know-how and work ethic; these David Potter
certainly has much of. It’s another thing to speak
about the intangible qualities of a man, qualities like
generosity, kindness and selflessness. Those of us who know
Dr. Potter know also that he possessed those qualities as
well. While perhaps harder to measure, Dr. Potter’s
approachability and willingness to accommodate was one of
the first things about the man you noticed.
We will also remember the focus and determination that David
Potter brought to Delta State University which has led to
several new projects on campus and in the region. The Greenville
Higher Ed Center; the Coahoma Alliance for Higher Education;
the new Kent Wyatt Student Services and Administration Building
now on-line; the new Technology and Learning Center; the
Delta Center for Culture and Learning; the Campus Sculpture
Garden—the list of accomplishments that have taken
place under Dr. Potter’s watch and guidance is impressive.
So now, my good friend goes on to become the first Mississippi
university president to assume the position of Commissioner
of the state’s Institutions of Higher Learning. It’s
quite a honor and, to my mind, one that is well-deserved
and couldn’t go to a more qualified and quality person.
I have no doubt that David and Pam will continue to visit
us in Cleveland and the Delta from time to time. He has
expressed a continued commitment to our region in his new
role and I’m certain that we will call on expertise
often.
I, along with the staff of the Delta Business Journal, wish
David Potter and Pam Matthews the best of luck as they move
on to Jackson and their new lives. While we will feel their
loss, we realize how much our state will now gain. DBJ
Scott Coopwood
Publisher
