Dr. Barbara Baxter began working at Mid-South Community College on March 14, 1994 becoming its Executive Vice President until she retired in 2015. She worked enormously long hours to ensure quality in our academics and life-changing success among our students. Unanimously respected across the campus, Dr. Baxter served as mentor, teacher, leader and a source of encouragement to the faculty and staff insisting that as the college grew as an honorable institution, the faculty and staff grew as honorable individuals.
“Dr. Baxter often shunned the spotlight and disdained personal recognition for her accomplishments, but make no mistake – this institution would not be where it is today without her vision, integrity, leadership, and unparalleled work ethic. We all owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude, particularly those of us who had the privilege of working with her and being mentored by her,” said Chancellor Dr. Debra West. “Her unparalleled grace, wisdom, class, and wit were very much present through the final days of her life.”
Dr. Baxter earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English at Memphis State University and later completed an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, Higher Education. Prior to returning to higher education to pursue advanced degrees, Baxter served as co-owner of Baxter Construction Company in Memphis where she supervised residential and light commercial construction, performed cost accounting, sold real estate, and performed real estate appraisals. She was a professor at Memphis State University and at State Technical Institute and later served in various capacities related to writing, curriculum development, and student success.
During her retirement ceremony in which the Learning Success Center was named in her honor, Dr. Glen Fenter described her commitment to the College, “One would have never expected to find someone of Dr. Baxter’s caliber at Mid-South Community College at its beginning,” Dr. Fenter said. “Without her background, expertise, and investment, this institution may, in fact, never have gotten off the ground.”
“I have never worked with or for anyone that I more sincerely appreciated, respected, or loved than Barbara Baxter,” said Dr. Fenter. “As far as I’m concerned, her continued impact on this campus remains nothing short of miraculous, and if we look back at all that has transpired here since she came, it is essentially impossible to do justice to the things that she personally is responsible for making happen.”
