Roane State recently named Dewayne McGhee as its newest Cumberland County campus director.
McGhee began his new role in August. Previously, he had been immersed in Cumberland County Schools serving as a U.S. history teacher and coach, before becoming a Raider once again.
“After nearly two decades spent in Cumberland County classrooms, I felt like it was time for a new challenge,” McGhee said. “Being a former Roane State student, the idea of returning to where my higher education journey began felt like it was meant to be.”
During his first go-round as a Raider, McGhee shared that Roane State’s smaller class sizes and the many familiar faces he encountered made it a good fit for him.
“It helped that I knew a lot of the students and many of the professors also taught at Cumberland County High School where I graduated,” McGhee said.
After he completed his Roane State course work, McGhee transferred to Tennessee Tech to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
“I thought I was going to move to Nashville and make a ton of money,” McGhee explained. “I did eventually work in Nashville while living in Crossville, but all that time commuting every day allowed for a lot of soul searching.”
He soon realized his passion for U.S. history and a desire to teach. Wanting to make a difference in the lives of young people, he went back to Tennessee Tech to get his master’s degree in Secondary Education. Soon after, he began working for Cumberland County Schools, where he would challenge students to pursue their dreams.
“I hope that throughout my career in the classroom, students have been inspired to overcome the obstacles of the world to achieve their heart’s desire,” McGhee said. “If one student has gone beyond what they thought they were capable of, I will consider my time as a teacher a complete success.”
Since coming on board with Roane State, McGhee has continued to put students first. He has been fostering relationships with them, as well as faculty and staff, to best understand their needs and goals. He shared that creating a place where students feel safe, welcomed, and appreciated is a priority for him.
“My vision for Roane State students is for them to experience personal discovery and fulfilment,” McGhee said. “I want students to enjoy a warm, friendly place to attend class. I want to help build a community and culture here that makes students feel drawn to Roane State.”
McGhee’s role will be spent both on and off the campus by managing dual enrollment within area schools, working with the college’s recruiting department, and engaging regularly with companies to best understand workforce priorities.
“Roane State is a tremendous asset with high-quality educational opportunities,” McGhee said. “I plan to tap into the relationships I developed while working at Cumberland County Schools to promote Roane State. I also intend to foster relationships with local leaders to create strategies to benefit the overall community.”
Born in Dayton, Tennessee, his family later moved to Crossville when McGhee was still a child. He has called Cumberland County home ever since. McGhee has two sons, Isaac and Treven, who are his pride and joy.
Roane State’s Cumberland County Campus is located in Crossville at 2567 Cook Road. For more information about this location, visit roanestate.edu/cumberland.
