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For many years, Paris Junior College has been transitioning beyond being an “open door” college where everyone is welcome towards a primary focus of successful completion for every student. A major step on this path has been taken with the hiring of Dr. Lisa Elliott as Vice President of Student Access and Success.
Her arrival at PJC on July 1 marks the first major personnel decision for Dr. Stephen Benson, the new PJC President who began his tenure in June.
“I’m very excited to welcome Dr. Elliott to the Paris Junior College team and I know she will make an impact immediately,” Benson said. “She brings an incredible amount of creativity, talent, and knowledge, which will help us continue to do great things here at the College. Dr. Elliott has many years of experience at the community college level and has a heart for helping students be successful.”
Elliott’s career path did not start in higher education. She first obtained her bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from Texas A&M University and Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts from the University of Mississippi. She became an online actor, web designer and podcast editor for a California company, then took dual roles as writer and designer for the “Fairfield Recorder” and Fairfield, Texas Main Street Program.
In 2000, Elliott began working as a workforce trainer at Garland County Community College in Hot Springs. She moved to National Park Community College in 2004 to become the Director of Continuing Education.
In 2006, McLennan Community College (MCC) hired Elliott as Director of Marketing and Communications. In addition to that role, she focused on critical change management projects related to enrollment management, process analysis and improvement, and implementation of new initiatives to further student access and success while providing strategic counsel to senior leadership.
Collaborating on strategies to shift campus culture from institutional-focused
to student-centric, she improved student processes, recruiting efforts, and communications with colleagues in Financial Aid, Admissions & Recruiting, Advising, Police Department, Student Activities, Success Coaching, Counseling Services, and grant-funded programs like TRIO, Title V, and First Generation College Student program.
Her work on MCC’s Emergency Operations Team during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a prestigious Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Star Award for the College’s pandemic response efforts. She provided significant leadership in implementing a successful $74.5M bond election campaign and was instrumental implementing new content management and customer relationship management software systems.
Elliott obtained her Doctorate of Education from Tarleton State University in 2022, with the dissertation, “An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Factors impacting Students’ Selection of a Central Texas Community College.”
Her additional training and professional development includes Disney Experience training, FEMA Public Information Basics, Leadership Waco and Leadership Hot Springs, Public Relations Society of America’s Accreditation in Public Relations courses, Texas Attorney General’s Public Information Act training, Amarillo’s Poverty Summit, Texas Friendly Hospitality Certification, Texas A&M Grantwriting Certification, Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), Website Marketing Certificate, and CPR/First Aid certified.
She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), National Council of Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR), Texas Association of Community College Marketers (TACCM), and Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
In addition to her many initiatives at MCC, Elliott has also served as a board member for PRSA Central Texas, TACCM (now Vice President), and the McLennan County Pack of Hope (media relations chair).
She has also been on the Waco Planning Advisory Committee, Waco Chamber of Commerce Workforce Communications committee, CASE Judge Volunteer panel, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Emergency Aid Network, HOTCOG Rural Transit Collaborative Council and Waco Transit Advisory Committee, Prosper Waco CampusTown Initiative Committee, HOT I-35 Corridor Committee, and Bosque River Stage Productions and Marketing Team, and has been named to the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce’s 40 under 40.
“It is an honor to be asked to join the talented Paris Junior College team,” Elliott said. “I can tell the faculty and staff at PJC truly care for their students and are dedicated to their success. The PJC culture of caring aligns perfectly with my own values, and I’m very excited to start my new journey there. I am also committed to embracing the mission and vision set forth by President Benson and am eager about making a meaningful impact in the lives of the students and the future of the community.”