By Ainsley Trunkhill / Managing Editor of Content

Tricia Paramore brings her expertise from the classroom to the campus as she accepts the position as Hutchinson Community College’s new Vice President of Academic Affairs.

As a professor within the science department, Paramore routinely connects the analytical world to the human mind. Now, within Academic Affairs, she will practice the same balance by connecting faculty and staff with the analytical data of the collegiate world. 

Despite 25 years as an educator at HutchCC and an intricate knowledge of the classroom, Paramore’s expertise isn’t limited to within those walls. She has also served as HutchCC’s Department Chair for the Natural Sciences, Social Science, and Mathematics Department since 2006 and coordinates the college’s strategic planning efforts, and the New Faculty Teaching Academy. Her administrative and analytical experience will allow her to connect these fields back to educators.

“I look forward to learning more about all of our programs and working with our excellent faculty and department chairs to serve HutchCC students,” said Paramore, who takes over for Cindy Hoss, whose retirement became official on Tuesday. “I’m looking forward to getting organized so that we can best convey the good things we’re doing, identify areas we can improve, and work with everyone to make plans for how we can best make those improvements to serve students in the best way we can.”

While Paramore identifies the faculty of HutchCC as the greatest strength of Academic Affairs, she said she will strive to improve the usefulness of data collection in order to best reach both students and teachers. 

“We can always make processes more efficient, reduce paperwork, (and) reduce steps needed to accomplish things,” she said. 

Furthermore, she lists accreditation as a top priority, another need she will fulfill alongside supporting staff and students. 

With the announcement of Paramore’s new position just last week, she enters a transitional phase of leaving behind her role as Department Chair and learning the inner workings of a new role, which serves to oversee the organization and establishment of educational programs at the college. 

“I have a lot to learn about the position, the things that need to be accomplished, (and) timelines,” she said. “I’ll be working to get my sea legs quickly to be as effective as I can be for the students, faculty, and the college.”

Regardless, HutchCC President Carter File approaches this transitory period with confidence. 

“Dr. Paramore will do a terrific job for HutchCC as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and I look forward to working with her,” File said. 

Paramore, similarly retains optimism about the future of her role. 

“This seemed the right position at the right time with the right people, and definitely the right college,” she said. 

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