On Monday, August 31, 2020, Dr. Kim Ennis announced to the faculty and staff of Bevill State Community College that she will be retiring as President effective September 30, 2020, after a career at the College spanning over three decades. After a year-long appointment as Interim President, Dr. Ennis was officially named President of the College in April of 2018.  

During Dr. Ennis’ 35-year tenure with Bevill State, she has served in a number of roles, including two terms as Interim President, Executive Vice-President, and Dean of Students. However, her affiliation with the College began as a student at the age of eighteen. She was hired by Walker College as the Director of Financial Aid four years later. Much of her career was dedicated to serving students directly. Her understanding of the student experience, and that the focus of the College should always be the students, echoed in in her decision-making as she advanced through administration.  

Under Ennis’ leadership, Bevill State continued to be a trailblazer in public/private partnerships and an innovator in workforce solutions. She was involved in the development of numerous partnerships to promote workforce and economic development. These partnerships have worked to serve not only Bevill State, but the communities in Bevill State’s service area.  

In an email distributed to the employees of Bevill State on Monday morning, Dr. Ennis wrote, “This College has been my home, the students, faculty, and staff my family, for my entire adult life. My dedication and love for this school will never waiver. My intent had initially been to retire earlier this year. Bevill State had successfully completed their SACSCOC 10-year re-accreditation, great progress has been made with the budget, and several large projects had reached completion. However, when I saw the challenges that we were facing with the pandemic, I wanted to remain with the College until I knew things had stabilized somewhat and the fall 2020 term was well underway.” 

She went on to tell the faculty and staff of the College, “As I move on to the newest chapter of my life, I know that the foundation of this institution is strong. As the community college experience evolves during these ever-changing times, Bevill State will be there for the people in our communities. Every role at Bevill State is vital and valuable. This school provides opportunities to change lives, as it did mine.”  

Dr. Ennis also stated, “I have spoken with Chancellor Jimmy Baker about my decision to retire. As the search for Bevill State’s next president takes shape, I know that ACCS will be committed to ensuring a seamless transition to new leadership that will continue to effectively navigate these challenging times, sustain its progress, and ensure a strong future. Details about the search process will be shared as they are available. In the meantime, I will continue to manage and address the day-to-day operations of the College until my retirement date.” 

Bevill State Community College is a public, two-year, "open door" institution, committed to providing comprehensive education and educational support services for people in West Central Alabama and beyond. Bevill State is a member of the Alabama Community College System. Bevill State's four main campuses, and one instructional site, offer university parallel and applied technology educational opportunities to over one-quarter million people in a seven-county area. This service area spans over 4,600 square miles, from the Birmingham city limits to the Mississippi state line.