This article was published by the Cleveland Daily Banner on 11/20/2021.

When I heard the news Dr. Bill Seymour had announced he would retire after eight years as president of Cleveland State Community College, I suggested his achievements in that position warranted the naming of the street running through the campus in his honor.

 

His humility showed through in his response, saying the street was named for the first president of CSCC and that was how it should be.

 

It is for certain the first of anything worthy has a legacy to be celebrated; however, what came from those first seeds planted on Broad Street five decades ago was celebrated with class and respect during the college's golden anniversary a few years ago.

 

The fact is the Cleveland State of today, created under Dr. Seymour's leadership, has established a new legacy which will be the one celebrated 50 years from now.

 

It will be celebrated not just on the site of the current main campus.

 

It will also be celebrated as well on new campus sites in McMinn and Monroe counties.

 

It will be celebrated by the thousands of youth and adults who have much broader and smoother paths of educational opportunities created under the vision and tenacity of Dr. Seymour.

 

Again with humility, Dr. Seymour will give credit to the remarkable team of staff and faculty who rightfully deserve much of the credit.

 

However, this team was either chosen, trained or inspired by Dr. Seymour's vision and enthusiasm.

 

That vision and enthusiasm have jolted Cleveland State from a 20th-century college to one ready for the 22nd century.

 

Dr. Seymour posted on social media he felt the college had "hit it out of the park."

 

That is true. But, it was Dr. Seymour who built the park.

 

Dr. Seymour says he has never had as much fun in a job.

 

The great thing is he wanted everyone to share in the fun — not just the staff or the students — but, the entire community.

 

Even during seismic changes to the state's community college system and a pandemic, Dr. Seymour provided a steady and serious hand on the tiller with a glint of good humor in his eye.

 

Cleveland State has become not just something to be proud of, it has become something for everyone to enjoy.

 

Perhaps Dr. Seymour would acquiesce to the street-name change if the new signage also bore the name of his wife, Catherine, who has carried herself with grace as the college's First Lady and the rock upon which the president could reliably lean.

 

No matter the name of the road that runs through its campus, Cleveland State Community College has been transformed into a world-class educational institution even its first president could not have envisioned.

 

That transformation occurred because of, and under, the leadership of Dr. Bill Seymour, who I believe has earned the permission of the community he served so well — at least, for the next few months —- to check his humility at the door.

 

Making sure the community knows it is a vital part of a community college, one which welcomes all with open arms to benefit in so many positive ways from its existence, seems to be one of those things which is not a sin in which to take pride.