The second college presidential candidate is scheduled to visit Bainbridge College Thursday.

Neil Aspinwall is the vice president of enrollment and student services at Waycross College in Waycross, Ga. In the biographical information supplied to Bainbridge College’s presidential search committee, Aspinwall says he has streamlined many of the admissions, financial aid and student services functions in order to better meet the needs of a growing student population.

He implemented the first online advising system, which has helped increase the efficiency and effectiveness of student advisement and allowed faculty, staff and students a more interactive and error-free method of managing their degree and programs of study, he said.

In 2008, Aspinwall was charged with creating and implementing the first collegiate athletics program at Waycross College. A year later, the inaugural season of the Waycross College “Swampfoxes” men’s basketball began and is being followed this year by women’s fast-pitch softball.

From 1999 to 2005, Aspinwall was the vice president of economic development at Okefenokee Technical College, where it grew from one off-campus site to more than 13, and the off-campus credit enrollment grew from approximately 26 students to more than 450.

Working with the boards of education in the seven-county service delivery area, Aspinwall and his staff were successful at implementing dual enrollment programs in six area high schools through seven programs such as criminal justice and carpentry.

Aspinwall began his career in the field of education 25 years ago as a classroom teacher at Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, Ga., where he taught drafting and technology education.

He served as the interim assistant principal at Glynn County Night High School before moving to Waycross in 1995 to serve as the director of adult education at Okefenokee Technical College. While there, he was instrumental in writing the federal and state grants needed to operate the seven-county program and was successful at creating and implementing adult education programs at each of the seven off-campus sites.

On Thursday on the BC campus, Aspinwall will meet with students in the Kirbo Solarium from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m., and then with faculty and staff from 2:30 to 3:30 in the Kirbo Center Auditorium. There will be a community session from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Kirbo Center.

At the EC Academic Center, an open session will be held from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

First candidate’s visit

Bradley J. Ebersole, who for the past five and a half years has served as the vice chancellor for academic affairs at Baton Rouge Community College, visited the Bainbridge campus on Monday.

Ebersole said he is a product of a community college system, having earned an associate’s degree prior to furthering his education, and knows how the experience changed his career path. He said as he walked around the Bainbridge campus on Monday, “I can say I know why you are here. I know the reason why you have come here because I was there once myself,” Ebersole said of the students he saw.

Following the interviews, the committee will submit the names of three to five unranked finalists to the Board of Regents, which in turn will recommend a candidate to the chancellor. The new president will replace retiring President Tom Wilkerson.