HOULTON, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle announced that Tracy Rockwell has been appointed in mid-August to serve as interim director of the Houlton Higher Education Center for the upcoming semester.
Rockwell replaces Chuck Ames, who served the University for more than 30 years.
“We are very pleased to welcome Tracy to this position and to have someone with her years of expertise in teaching and higher education to lead our Houlton Center during this crucial time as we work to implement our strategic plan and improve the way we deliver education to better meet the needs of our students,” said Ray Rice, UMPI provost and vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. “Tracy is uniquely positioned to oversee the diverse operations of the Houlton Center and help it provide the best services possible to the region. I am confident that she will both serve as an advocate for our institution’s courses and services and help to coordinate our services even more effectively with University College, our Center partners, and the southern Aroostook community more generally.”
Rockwell brings to the position her experiences serving as the Career Pathways coordinator for Houlton/Hodgdon Adult Education at the Center, as a part-time instructor for UMPI and Northern Maine Community College, and her work undertaking strategic initiatives at previous institutions.
As interim director, she will serve as building administrator and coordinate the needs of the center’s seven educational partners, including University College, NMCC, the Houlton/Hodgdon SAD 29/70 Adult Education Program, the Carleton Project, TRiO College Access Services, and Maine Education Opportunities Commission.
Speaking on behalf of one of the center partners, Bonnie Sparks, executive director of University College and Distance Education, said, “University College welcomes the opportunity to work with Tracy Rockwell and the University of Maine at Presque Isle in support of faculty and students participating in distance and off-campus degree programs available through the Houlton Center. The center is a well-established partner in the network of University College Centers throughout the state, providing access to distance degree programs offered by the seven campuses of the University of Maine System UMS. Tracy’s experience with adult learners will be an asset as the UMS reaches out to support returning and degree completing adult students in the community.”
Rockwell previously worked as an area director for Troy University in the Florida region, as a Human Resources Agent for Randstad, and as an associate regional director of student services for Troy State University in the Atlantic region. She currently serves as President of SDR General Services, providing and administering support services to small businesses.
She is a member of the Northeast Society for Human Resource Management, an Adult Education Advisory Committee Member, and has served on her local school board. She also volunteers her time as a high school tutor.
Rockwell earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Southern Maine in 1993. She went on to earn her master’s degree in public administration in 1995 and her master’s in human resources management in 1999, both from Troy State University.
As part of her interim duties, Rockwell will be completing a comprehensive strategic review of the Center this fall, to help the University to most effectively coordinate its services, partnerships, staffing, and opportunities.
