Dr. Anthony Paustian on Leading the Way in Tech and Innovation

On this episode of The Big Plan on Campus, Thomas talks with Dr. Anthony Paustian, the Provost for Des Moines Area Community College.

Dr. Paustian began his career as a pilot in the Air Force, which eventually led him to working with leading aerospace companies on their brand development.  With expertise in many areas of technology and innovation, Dr. Paustian was brought in to build the Des Moines Area Community College.

The first step Paustian took, in 1999, when he began the journey of building the Des Moines Area Community College, was identifying the opportunities on the horizon in the technology and innovation spaces. Through collaborative conversations with leaders in those industries, Paustian formed a launch plan that included the evolving technology of handheld technology and mobility.

The number one goal that Paustian had was to inspire students and one of the ways he did this was through using technology in cool and innovative ways. This directly led to robust fundraising efforts with partners whose mission and values aligned with the college.

The rest of the episode includes Thomas and Dr. Paustian detailing the additional curriculum and paths that were added to the college to support enrollment and the needs of students. This journey involved numerous pivots as technology, interests, and communities changed.

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