Biography
 Paul Killpatrick assumed the presidency of Great Basin College in June, 2002. He previously served as the Vice President of Instruction and the Vice President of Instructional Support and Community at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon. Prior to his experience in Oregon he held senior administrative positions at Yakima Valley Community College in Yakima, Washington. In every instance, Killpatrick served a rural constituency.
“Delivering higher education to a rural community presents great challenges and great opportunity for Great Basin College and rural Nevada,” Killpatrick said. “Among those challenges is for the college to provide leadership to diversify the local and regional economy. We meet that challenge by engaging in partnerships with business, industry and government. Those partnerships create opportunity for the entire community.”
Great Basin College has established a unique mission and Killpatrick recognizes its value to the institution and the community. Serving both as a comprehensive community college, offering university transfer and applied career and technical
education opportunities, and providing baccalaureate degrees in select disciplines, the college has undergone a metamorphosis. “We serve one of the most remote regions of the nation,” Killpatrick says. “Many of our students are place-bound and until 1999 the nearest four year degree granting institution was in another state, and over 250 miles away. We now offer bachelor degrees in elementary and secondary education, applied science, integrative studies, and nursing. The programs are robust, and contribute to the vitality of our associate degrees.”
Great Basin College has shown steady growth. Enrollments increase at an average of 7% each year and the college has secured millions of dollars in grant awards in recent years. Strong partnerships have been formed with the private sector, increasing training opportunities and helping to diversify and strengthen the local workforce, and the college’s faculty grows by 5% annually.
Killpatrick was also determined to promote the college beyond its traditional service area. That effort included the acquisition of buildings adjacent to the campus for student housing. That growth required that the college prepare for the implications of managing resident students on the college campus by providing a broad offering of activities and organizations for students. The number of sanctioned student organizations on campus has double, and student activities have increased at a rapid pace. Intramural sports and steady offerings of music, theatre and dance enhance campus life. Student organizations offer dances, parties and other activities resident students expect.
Killpatrick received his bachelor degree in Social Studies and his PhD in Post-Secondary Education from Oregon State University. He earned his masters degree at Western Oregon State University. He and his wife Bernadette have three children and four grandchildren. |
Mailing Address:
Office of the President
1500 College Parkway
Elko, Nevada 89801
Office Hours:
Berg Hall
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Assistant to the President: Mardell Wilkins
Phone: 775.753.2265
Email
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