Presidents @ COM

He worked with establishing innovative programs for students. As president of Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tennessee, he collaborated with local bankers to create a short-term bank-teller program that was highlighted in the Wall Street Journal. In an effort to improve college preparedness among high school students, he expanded the college’s dual enrollment offerings to serve more than 1,200 students in 12 counties. He launched international and diversity initiatives, which resulted in an increase in graduation rates for African-American and Hispanic students.

Nichols grew Volunteer State Community College to a record student enrollment of nearly 9,000 students. He also led the college through an $8 million rebuilding and renovation project of 13 buildings damaged by a tornado in 2006.

A native of Fort Worth, Nichols holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Houston. He graduated with his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington and began college at Tarrant County Junior College in Hurst, Texas. He started his career a police officer in Arlington, Texas, and later transitioned to the field of higher education.

Nichols is listed in the International Who's Who of Professionals. He serves on the board of directors for the Gallatin Economic Development Agency. He is a Rotarian and a two-time Paul Harris Fellow.

• Dr. Warren Nichols was named College of the Mainland’s eighth president in a unanimous vote by the college board of trustees January 30, 2017. 
• Worked with the board to use approximately $10 million of COM’s savings for improvements to current COM facilities.
• Increased enrollment during both Fall and Summer sessions.
• Initiated the Finish Faster and Guided Pathways programs to help student succeed in greater numbers and complete college program more quickly and with less expense.
• Added a new center in League City to accommodate dual credit enrollment, with cost borne by student tuition.
• Allotted $16 million maintenance tax bonds to facilitate the renovation of several aging campus buildings.
• Received $30,000 grant from the Mexican Consulate in Houston for College of the Mainland to provide scholarships to students of Mexican origin at the college and fund testing fees for up to 34 students.
• Student enrollment for College of the Mainland was the largest in school history with 5,918 students registered for credit courses and continuing education.
• $162.5 million General Obligation Bond was passed.
• College of The Mainland opened the new Conference Center for college and community activities. . 
• COM was recognized in the 2018 Math Pathways Awards from a competitive field of 38 other Texas community colleges by the Texas Association of Community Colleges, the Texas Success Center and the Dana Center Mathematics Pathways during the 2018 Texas Pathways Institute in Dallas on Nov. 14. COM was chosen to receive the exemplary award based on the college’s exceptional efforts in developing math pathways.
• Voters within the College of the Mainland Taxing District overwhelmingly approved a $162.5 million bond referendum on Tuesday, Nov. 6, paving the way for the construction of three new academic buildings on the Texas City campus. Voters favored COM with 24,313 voters, or 66.79 percent, supporting the bond referendum while 12,087 voters, or 33.21 19 percent, voted against.

Go to the President Nichols photo album.