RICHMOND — Dr. John S. Capps of Roanoke has been appointed interim president at Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC), Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), announced today.  Dr. Capps will take over effective June 2, 2008 for Dr. John J. Sygielski, who is leaving LFCC to become president of Mt. Hood Community College in Portland, Oregon.

Capps is currently vice president of academic and student affairs at Virginia Western Community College (VWCC), a position he has held since 2002. He lead the division of humanities at VWCC from 1997 to 2002, and also held other administrative posts, including director of distance learning; interim dean of the divisions of health technology and natural sciences and mathematics; and interim director of development. He began his career as an instructor of English in 1978, becoming professor and then program head of English in 1987. He holds a doctorate in education from Virginia Tech, as well as a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Virginia Tech.

In making the interim appointment, Dr. DuBois said, “John is an outstanding academic leader with needed skills to successfully guide Lord Fairfax through this period of transition.”  He will serve until a new president is installed. A national search for a new president is expected to take six to nine months.

Capps, who is not a candidate for the presidency of LFCC, says he is looking forward to the temporary assignment, “This is an exciting opportunity and I am grateful for it.  I look forward to experiencing a different part of Virginia and working with and learning from the people at Lord Fairfax who share my passion for community college education and are known for doing wonderful work.” 

May 5, 2008     

Contact:
Jeffrey Kraus
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Relations
(804) 819-4949
jkraus@vccs.edu