Officials at Tyler Junior College have named two associate vice provosts for the College.
Dr. Bryan Renfro, formerly dean of the TJC School of Professional and Technical Programs, has been named associate vice provost for academic and workforce affairs; and Dr. Tim Drain, formerly assistant vice president for athletics and student life, has been named associate vice provost for student affairs.
Renfro joined TJC in August of 2016 as dean of the School of Professional and Technical Programs. He had previously served as dean of business and public services at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa; instructional chair/assistant dean at Colorado Mountain College-Timberline Campus; forensic science and law enforcement instructor at Ben Barber Career and Technical Academy in Mansfield; public safety academy specialist at Tarrant County College; and criminal justice department chair at Northwest Arkansas Community College.
He has completed his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Iowa State University and doctoral coursework in Environmental Dynamics from the University of Arkansas. He holds a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Arkansas; has completed additional graduate work in criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati; and earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Tennessee.
As associate vice provost for academic and workforce affairs, Renfro will provide leadership in a broader scope for all instructional programs.
Drain, a 20-year TJC athletics administrator, has served as assistant vice president for athletics and student life since 2015. He has also been the College’s athletic director since 2002. TJC has won a total of 60 NJCAA National Championships since 1946, with 33 of those during Drain’s tenure. Since 2011, the TJC athletics program has finished second four times and third twice in the NATYCAA (National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators) Cup Standings. He is also a voting member in the football, women’s basketball, softball and women’s soccer NJCAA National Polls and in 2018, Region XIV selected Drain as their representative to the newly created NJCAA Board of Regents, and he was elected as Vice Chair by the Board. He has been honored as an Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year three times (2012, 2015, and 2018). Drain earned his bachelor’s and master’s in kinesiology from Texas A&M, and also earned his doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M.
As associate vice provost for student affairs, Drain’s duties will be expanded to promote student success for the entire student body at the College.
Through the transition, the College has named TJC Associate Director of Athletics Chuck Smith to serve as interim athletic director while the search for a permanent AD takes place. Smith joined TJC in 2006.
TJC President for Branch Locations and District Provost Dr. Juan E. Mejia said, “I am proud of the commitment of these leaders at the College, and I am confident they will be instrumental in the continued recognition of the College at the national level. “
About TJC
Established in 1926, TJC serves close to 12,000 students per semester, and throughout its over 92-year history, has embodied the true sense of the term “community.” The College has as a cornerstone the promises of a quality education, a vibrant student life and service to its communities.
TJC offers more than 125 degree and certificate options, plus extensive customized training and adult and continuing education, and offers opportunities for students to transfer to senior universities or to gain the skills needed to go directly into the workforce. The College received legislative designation, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approval, and accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Commission on Colleges, as an institution eligible to award baccalaureate degrees.
TJC features a 137-acre campus, rigorous academics, 60 national athletic championships, stellar fine and performing arts programs, modern residential facilities, and organizations and clubs that promote student diversity. The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program has named TJC as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation.