HGTC President Chosen as 2020 SCATCC Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Marilyn “Murph” Fore recognized for contributions to HGTC and the technical college system.
Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) is proud to announce that HGTC President, Dr. Marilyn Murphy Fore, has been recognized as the 2020 Chief Executive Officer of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners (SCATCC). The award honors the tremendous services of and contributions made by a technical or community college chief executive officer.
President Fore was pleasantly surprised as HGTC Chairman Tommy Branyon and other Commissioners notified her of the award at a special called meeting of the Area Commission. The official award presentation will take place at the SC Association of Technical College Commissioner’s Academy on January 26, 2021.
Dr. Marilyn Murphy Fore became president of HGTC on April 1, 2017. Prior to this appointment, she served as the Senior Vice President and in a variety of leadership positions over the last four decades. During her years of service to the College, President Fore’s purpose and vision has always been improving the lives of her students, which is evident in her personal and financial commitments to HGTC. She has established numerous scholarships for students and consistently contributes to the HGTC Foundation. She has personally ensured that students who didn’t think higher education was an option for them not only attended HGTC, but also succeeded in school and after graduation.
President Fore holds a Doctorate of Public Service from Coastal Carolina University, an Education Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, a Master of Arts in Economics, and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina. Her husband, Dr. Fred Fore, shares her passion for higher education and was the first president of Florence-Darlington Technical College. Dr. Fore, or “Murph” as she prefers to be called, is the first female President of HGTC. She has set quite the precedent over the last 46 years, designing and developing academic programs on the college’s three campuses, including the increasingly popular online classes, the Early College High School for high school students and international placements. She also had a hand in designing several campus buildings, such as the Georgetown Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Robert Speir Jr. Healthcare Center. For her efforts, the science building on the Grand Strand campus was named in her honor. But, really, she feels the honor has been hers, to give of her time, energy and passion over the last four decades to a school that gave her a chance.
President Fore has been a leader in the educational revolution at HGTC for decades. Her passion for students and the mission of the College drives her innovative spirit to find creative solutions that meet the demands of the modern student and our local economy. The launch of HGTC’s Distance Learning Institute made higher education more accessible not just for South Carolina residents, but also for students across the country. Her collaboration with four-year universities like Coastal Carolina University, Clemson University and Francis Marion University have continued to strengthen HGTC’s relationships across the state and open more pathways for HGTC graduates.
She was instrumental in the creation of Early College High School (ECHS), a secondary option that allows students to receive two years of college credit during high school. A model for the nation, ECHS also encourages underrepresented students to attend college, serves highly-capable students, and removes barriers to higher education by helping students prepare for and meet college readiness standards. She is innovative in the way she builds relationships with regional stakeholders – county officials, school officials, elected representatives, and business leaders – by serving as both an advocate for HGTC and adapting to our local workforce’s educational needs.
President Fore has forged her endless relationships throughout the community to achieve advancements in education. From asking a local business owner for direction on curriculum design for a new program to building relationships with universities to create programs like HGTC and CCU’s Bridge program. When it comes to monetary resources, she works hard to secure private and public funds needed for programs while also finding innovative ways to achieve a goal at the lowest cost possible.
HGTC’s mission of expanding the workforce skills of the student population and improving the quality of life for the surrounding community is clearly defined by President Fore, as her passion for education and contagious energy for helping students filters throughout the institution.
President Fore has been a leader in the state for her efforts to ease both the admissions requirements for students and regulations for the approval of new academic programs, in turn making education more accessible for many and ensuring HGTC continues to meet the needs of industry in a timely manner. She has led the implementation of digital classrooms, developed more than 80 programs of study, and served on 30 accreditation teams across the Southeast.
HGTC has been a major part of her life. She has worked to achieve its mission, which is to serve as the foundation of this community, and as the heart and soul of business and industry in terms of supporting the workforce here. That drives her to the passion she has within her and it all started with teaching. She still loves to walk into a classroom and make an impact. She wants to give students a thirst to achieve on their own—to give students confidence. Because many times, two-year colleges draw students who need to start a career in a short amount of time, the school is in their neighborhood and it’s affordable.