Dr. Terrence Leas

President, Riverland Community College

Educational Background:

Florida State University, Ph. D., 1989
Higher Education Administration

Valdosta State College, M.Ed., 1981
Educational Administration & Supervision

Florida State University, B.S., 1972
Social Science Education

By Mandy Hambleton, April 2007

Dr. Terry Leas, President of Riverland Community College in Minnesota, began the Higher Education doctoral program as a part-time student in 1982. As many of us do, Terry found the field of Higher Education by chance and remained in the field through encouragement. As luck would have it, Dr. Leas’s first course was taught by Dr. Hardee. At that time, Dr. Leas was working at Thomas College (now Thomas University) in Thomasville, Georgia. He entered Dr. Hardee’s classroom only to find that the majority of his classmates were near the end of their coursework and had clear ideas about what they wanted to do in the future. Terry, however, was just beginning his program with no ideas about what he wanted to do in the future. “I was intimidated by the knowledge of the others in the classroom and by Dr. Hardee. She was bouncing off the walls with energy,” Leas said. He left class that day and thought he’d never go back, but thankfully, he changed his mind.

Knowing that Dr. Hardee was a stickler for writing, Terry was very apprehensive about getting his first graded assignment returned from her. He was shocked when he received his paper and she had written how much she loved the way he wrote. Dr. Leas recalled, “That simple gesture powerfully conveyed that I did belong in the higher education program and that there was hope.”

One of the most striking aspects that Dr. Leas remembers about Dr. Hardee was her passion for students and higher education. It was evident in every interaction he had with her that she absolutely loved what she was doing. Dr. Leas also found two of his passions through the Florida State Higher Education Program—working with community college students and higher education law.

As our second-year master’s students and several doctoral students prepare to venture out into the professional world again, or for the first time, they are encouraged to seek out mentors and advice from members of the Florida State University Higher Education LifeNet. When asked what advice he would give to professionals looking for positions in the field of higher education, Dr. Leas offers three important guiding principles: 1) know yourself, 2) pursue your passion, and 3) look for institutions that have educational philosophies that complement your own.

First, know yourself. What is your educational philosophy? What types of things do you like to do? Do you have a type of work environment that is more beneficial to your productivity than others? Knowing yourself will enable you to seek out institutions and positions that will be the best fit for your professional life and can help prevent rifts with future employers based on aspects of your position or environment that you can avoid during your job search.

His next piece of advice reminds me of a presentation motivational speaker and Jamaican slam poet Kirk Nugent presented several times during my undergraduate career: no matter what happens, you will be happier if you pursue your passion. Dr. Leas’s passion is working with community college students. He finds the democratic nature and open-door policy of the community college system in the United States very appealing. Being able to meet students where they are and watch them move forward is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of his job.

Dr. Leas has also been afforded the opportunity to pursue his passion for higher education law by working on several projects with Dr. Joseph Beckham. In fact, Dr. Beckham was Dr. Leas’s major professor for his legal-historical dissertation that won a national dissertation award from the Education Law Association. For those doctoral candidates who have yet to choose their dissertation topics, Dr. Leas encourages them to “find a topic that you are really passionate about; you’re going to spend a lot of time with it, and it will be more enjoyable if your topic is also your passion.”

Dr. Leas’s final piece of advice, and perhaps the most important, is to seek out educational institutions that have similar educational philosophies and missions to your own personal philosophy on education. “The biggest mistake job seekers make is not looking at themselves and the positions they are applying for to see if they align. If they don’t align, it’s not going to work out,” Dr. Leas states. Looking at institutional philosophies led him to pursue a career in community college administration. “My philosophy fit best with the mission of the community college, and that’s how I knew where I was supposed to be,” he recalls.

Obviously Dr. Leas was correct when he decided where he belonged. He has enjoyed a great deal of success as a community college administrator in Georgia, Washington state, and Minnesota. Dr. Leas describes the role of President as “the person who gets a lot of credit and a lot of blame for things.” As president, he is most proud of the people he has been able to bring into the institutions he has worked at and the collaborative efforts of the staff at Riverland Community College. In fact, Dr. Leas is fulfilling Dr. Hardee’s dream for the LifeNet, in hiring another Florida State alum, Dr. Ron Langrell (Ph.D. ’90), to serve as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Riverland Community College. He states, “I remembered Ron from the program at FSU, and I knew he would be a great fit for the community here.”

Dr. Leas would not have been able to enjoy so much success as a community college president if it weren’t for his mentors, teachers, and support system. He remains close with Dr. Beckham, and is quick to point out that his wife is always supportive of his career and willing to participate in his work functions. Dr. Leas remains in contact with students he taught as an adjunct instructor at Florida State many years ago. He makes a concerted effort to maintain contact with past and current students, because that’s what education is all about.

There is always a risk involved in finding the right fit for you, especially when you have family or other elements to consider when job searching. The only way to find the best fit is to take risks, and understand when it’s time to move on from one position to another. “Find those things that you have a passion for, and you will be happy. Don’t chase the dollars.”


				Dr. Terrence Leas President, Riverland Community College Educational Background: Florida State University, Ph. D., 1989 Higher Education Administration Valdosta State College, M.Ed., 1981 Educational Administration & Supervision Florida State University, B.S., 1972 Social Science Education ## By Mandy Hambleton, April 2007 Dr. Terry Leas, President of Riverland Community College in Minnesota, began the Higher Education doctoral program as a part-time student in 1982. As many of us do, Terry found the field of Higher Education by chance and remained in the field through encouragement. As luck would have it, Dr. Leas’s first course was taught by Dr. Hardee. At that time, Dr. Leas was working at Thomas College (now Thomas University) in Thomasville, Georgia. He entered Dr. Hardee’s classroom only to find that the majority of his classmates were near the end of their coursework and had clear ideas about what they wanted to do in the future. Terry, however, was just beginning his program with no ideas about what he wanted to do in the future. “I was intimidated by the knowledge of the others in the classroom and by Dr. Hardee. She was bouncing off the walls with energy,” Leas said. He left class that day and thought he’d never go back, but thankfully, he changed his mind. Knowing that Dr. Hardee was a stickler for writing, Terry was very apprehensive about getting his first graded assignment returned from her. He was shocked when he received his paper and she had written how much she loved the way he wrote. Dr. Leas recalled, “That simple gesture powerfully conveyed that I did belong in the higher education program and that there was hope.” One of the most striking aspects that Dr. Leas remembers about Dr. Hardee was her passion for students and higher education. It was evident in every interaction he had with her that she absolutely loved what she was doing. Dr. Leas also found two of his passions through the Florida State Higher Education Program—working with community college students and higher education law. As our second-year master’s students and several doctoral students prepare to venture out into the professional world again, or for the first time, they are encouraged to seek out mentors and advice from members of the Florida State University Higher Education LifeNet. When asked what advice he would give to professionals looking for positions in the field of higher education, Dr. Leas offers three important guiding principles: 1) know yourself, 2) pursue your passion, and 3) look for institutions that have educational philosophies that complement your own. First, know yourself. What is your educational philosophy? What types of things do you like to do? Do you have a type of work environment that is more beneficial to your productivity than others? Knowing yourself will enable you to seek out institutions and positions that will be the best fit for your professional life and can help prevent rifts with future employers based on aspects of your position or environment that you can avoid during your job search. His next piece of advice reminds me of a presentation motivational speaker and Jamaican slam poet Kirk Nugent presented several times during my undergraduate career: no matter what happens, you will be happier if you pursue your passion. Dr. Leas’s passion is working with community college students. He finds the democratic nature and open-door policy of the community college system in the United States very appealing. Being able to meet students where they are and watch them move forward is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of his job. Dr. Leas has also been afforded the opportunity to pursue his passion for higher education law by working on several projects with Dr. Joseph Beckham. In fact, Dr. Beckham was Dr. Leas’s major professor for his legal-historical dissertation that won a national dissertation award from the Education Law Association. For those doctoral candidates who have yet to choose their dissertation topics, Dr. Leas encourages them to “find a topic that you are really passionate about; you’re going to spend a lot of time with it, and it will be more enjoyable if your topic is also your passion.” Dr. Leas’s final piece of advice, and perhaps the most important, is to seek out educational institutions that have similar educational philosophies and missions to your own personal philosophy on education. “The biggest mistake job seekers make is not looking at themselves and the positions they are applying for to see if they align. If they don’t align, it’s not going to work out,” Dr. Leas states. Looking at institutional philosophies led him to pursue a career in community college administration. “My philosophy fit best with the mission of the community college, and that’s how I knew where I was supposed to be,” he recalls. Obviously Dr. Leas was correct when he decided where he belonged. He has enjoyed a great deal of success as a community college administrator in Georgia, Washington state, and Minnesota. Dr. Leas describes the role of President as “the person who gets a lot of credit and a lot of blame for things.” As president, he is most proud of the people he has been able to bring into the institutions he has worked at and the collaborative efforts of the staff at Riverland Community College. In fact, Dr. Leas is fulfilling Dr. Hardee’s dream for the LifeNet, in hiring another Florida State alum, Dr. Ron Langrell (Ph.D. ’90), to serve as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Riverland Community College. He states, “I remembered Ron from the program at FSU, and I knew he would be a great fit for the community here.” Dr. Leas would not have been able to enjoy so much success as a community college president if it weren’t for his mentors, teachers, and support system. He remains close with Dr. Beckham, and is quick to point out that his wife is always supportive of his career and willing to participate in his work functions. Dr. Leas remains in contact with students he taught as an adjunct instructor at Florida State many years ago. He makes a concerted effort to maintain contact with past and current students, because that’s what education is all about. There is always a risk involved in finding the right fit for you, especially when you have family or other elements to consider when job searching. The only way to find the best fit is to take risks, and understand when it’s time to move on from one position to another. “Find those things that you have a passion for, and you will be happy. Don’t chase the dollars.”