Paine College is looking ahead to a new chapter in its history as incoming president Lester McCorn prepares to take office on Jan. 2.
McCorn has served as president of Clinton College in Rock Hill, S.C., another historically Black institution, for 7 ½ years.
A vision for change
During his tenure at Clinton College, McCorn led several significant expansions, including the addition of new degree programs in cybersecurity, nursing, healthcare administration and music.
McCorn said his vision for Paine College includes similar expansions, beginning with the formation of an “ad hoc advisory committee” composed of faculty, staff, students and community representatives.
McCorn plans to present a report on his first 100 days to the public.
He noted that many historically Black colleges are home to students who have fewer resources, come from low-wealth communities or are first generation students much like himself.
“They’re trying to navigate a very, very unfamiliar terrain which means that they need a lot of love and support,” he said. “And that is the genius and the value proposition of an HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities) education. We help build that bridge to the future for these students.”
Community building
One of McCorn’s primary goals is to make Paine College more “public facing” by cultivating stronger ties with the local community and fostering partnerships.
He describes this approach as a strategic focus on public and private partnerships, ultimately developing a shared vision for the future of both the college and the community.
As McCorn prepares to take the helm at Paine College, he has expressed enthusiasm for the college’s recent partnership with Augusta National Golf Club, A collaboration in support of the college’s 10-year transformation plan.
“That alone is transformational,” he said of the partnership.
McCorn said he believes that Paine College has the potential to become one of “the finest” historically Black colleges in the nation.
“I believe that Paine College is one of the greatest assets in the city of Augusta,” he said.
Homelessness to success
Originally from Worcester, Mass., McCorn found his way to the South when he enrolled at Morehouse College in Atlanta. This decision proved life-changing for McCorn, as he had experienced homelessness during his high school years – a journey that has been chronicled in a documentary by Dee Brown called “No House to Morehouse.”
“It’s hard to put into words the great blessing I have to pay it forward,” said McCorn, who expressed that he hopes to change student lives in a similar way.
In addition to his undergraduate education, McCorn has a graduate education from Yale Divinity School, Chicago Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in ministry from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He also holds a second Ph.D. from Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
