Presidents @ COM

Dr. Beth Lewis was named College of the Mainland’s president in a unanimous vote by the college board of trustees effective Jan. 1, 2013.

Lewis had more than 25 years’ experience in higher education, instruction and administration. Prior to accepting the presidency at COM, Lewis was vice president of academic affairs at Northeast Lakeview College. Lewis has also served as the dean of academic affairs at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas.
 
Lewis earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in English and a doctorate in educational leadership from Sam Houston State University. She is also a certified mediator in workplace conflict.

Dr. Lewis served as President of College of the Mainland from 2013-2016.

• College of the Mainland has announced Dr. Beth Lewis as its seventh, and first female, president.  Dr. Lewis’ contract is for three years, effective January 1, 2013.
• COM re-accredited for ten years in 2013.
• Continuing a successful 13-year partnership, Texas Mutual Insurance Company has donated $100,000 to the College of the Mainland Gulf Coast Safety Institute. The Gulf Coast Safety Institute’s Center for Risk Management will use the funds to continue its mission of providing safety classes free of charge.
• Mainland Medical Center Auxiliary donated $23,000 to fund scholarships for College of the Mainland nursing students.
• Marathon Petroleum Corp. and Marathon Pipe Line LLC have partnered with College of the Mainland to provide job training using a $374,494 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
• COM launches the Veterans Center in 2014.
• Community College Week names COM the fourth in the nation in number of science technology graduates.
• ExxonMobil committed an additional $500,000 in financial support to expand its commitment to $ million for the Community College Petrochemical Initiative (CCPI), which seeks to train students for high-skill, high-demand jobs in the petrochemical industry.
• College of the Mainland was presented with the award for Energy Stewardship in 2014 for saving enough energy in in 15 months to effectively plant more than 53,744 trees.
• TRiO grant renewed at COM to support first-generation college students in 2015.
• An independent student resource, Onlinecolleges.net, names COM the fourth most affordable two-year online program in Texas.
• The debate team is ranked as the number two community college in the nation. 
• Continuing a 15-year partnership, Texas Mutual Insurance Co, the state’s leading worker’s compensation insurance company, has given $100,000 to fund free safety and health classes taught by experts at the Gulf Coast Safety Institute.
• LyondellBassel donated $10,000 to College of the Mainland Foundation to fund scholarships for process technology and occupational safety students.
• A new $2.6 million grant at College of the Mainland will help Hispanic students succeed from typing a college application to striding across the stage to receive a diploma.
• COM is one of only two Gulf Coast colleges selected by the Department of Education to receive funding under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program. This grant will be in the amount of $524,149 for the first year, projected for five years.
• For its work to prepare the college and its community for any weather emergency, the National Weather Service recognized COM as being StormReady in 2016. The distinction notes that the college has systems to gather weather information and distribute warnings to staff, students and faculty. COM is the first community college on the Gulf Coast to obtain this certification.
• Cenergistic has awarded College of the Mainland the Energy Pacesetter Award for achieving savings totaling $1,168,283 (35 percent) since 2012 when it partnered with the energy-conservation company.

Go to the President Lewis photo album.