Exceptional candidates vying to fill the key post of dean of technical education at Amarillo College submitted applications from far and wide. In the end, the right person for the job was already in AC’s midst.

Megan Eikner, associate dean of continuing education, has been named dean of technical education and will officially begin her duties on AC’s East Campus on Jan. 4.

Eikner, who was elevated to associate dean of continuing education in August of 2015, spent the previous three years as director of continuing education at AC, simultaneously representing the College on the Workforce Education Course Manuel Board and the Texas Association of College Technical Educators Board for the State of Texas. She joined the AC workforce in 2009 as associate director of continuing education and served in that capacity until 2012.

Eikner, whose agrarian bent stems from having grown up on a farm in rural Colorado, completed a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2003 at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. By the following year she had earned a master’s degree in agriculture at West Texas A&M University.

“Megan was clearly the strongest candidate we had,” Dr. Deborah Vess, vice president of academic affairs, said. “She has graduate-level training in technical and professional education and deep familiarity with the Amarillo community. She has built successful partnerships with community industry and other partners and has familiarity with a broad array of workforce-education programs.

“With her track record of success and an innovative approach to developing enrollment-generating programs, Megan will provide strong leadership to the East Campus technical education programs,” Vess said. “She enters this new position with expertise in both College operations and community needs.”

Eikner has a passion for developing programs that put people on successful pathways. Among the jobs she held before joining AC’s workforce was a two-year stint as an urban youth development specialist with Texas Cooperative Extension.

“I’m excited and humbled by this amazing opportunity to contribute to the continued growth of the workforce in our region,” Eikner said. “I love putting people to work.

“I look forward to not only supporting the robust technical programs that AC already has in place,” she said, “but to planning and implementing new programs that support the mission of the College and conform to the needs of our community and its unique industrial diversity.”

Eikner in 2013 was among the young business professionals the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce named to its annual list of Top 20 Under 40. Twice in 2015 she was recognized for her volunteer efforts: as Randall County Family and Consumer Service Volunteer Leader of the Year, and as a Distinguished Leader of 4-H, District I.

By assuming the duties of dean of technical education, Eikner fills the void created when Lyndy Forrester left that post over the summer to become AC’s vice president for employee and organizational development.

Dr. Kim Hays, professor and departmental chair of industrial maintenance technology, served as interim dean throughout the search process for a permanent dean.

January 4, 2016