A Legacy of Giving

John F. Prince, Ph.D. was the Founding Executive Dean (now termed President) of Glendale Community College. Dr. Prince served as the Executive Dean from 1965-1967. He oversaw the creation, building and construction of the Glendale Community College campus; the hiring and leadership of its first faculty, and the operations of the Camelback and Maryland extension campuses. Dr. Prince brought to the position eighteen years of higher education experience in Maricopa County and statewide. He served as the Executive Director of the Arizona Board of Directors for Community Colleges which was responsible for implementing the new legislation for the state-county-post-secondary system (Title 15, Ch. 6.1 ARS). The Board, under Dr. Prince’s leadership, established the philosophy, the educational standards, the business procedures, and the general operation system, as well as represented the new program to the Arizona Legislature, the counties, and the citizens of Arizona.

Upon resigning the State Executive Director position in July 1965, Dr. Prince was appointed the Founding Executive Dean of Glendale Community College, becoming a proud Gaucho.

Following his administrative tenure at GCC he was appointed President (now termed Chancellor) of the Maricopa County Junior College District, (now the Maricopa Community College District). In that capacity, Dr. Prince worked enthusiastically in the formation and expansion of the Maricopa County Junior College District/Maricopa County Community College District, which grew from district-wide enrollment of 19,461 in 1967 to an enrollment high of 50,470 in 1975 during his tenure.

Phil earned a Bachelor and Master degree from ASU and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. He was hired at GCC in 1972 as automotive faculty. He began his tenure in July 1972 to oversee the remodel of the automotive center and to prepare for the first GCC automotive classes in the fall semester. 

When he was hired, he was told that he had three years to make the program go, or it would be shut down, and he would be looking for a new job. “I was 30 years old, had a family,” he said. “I was working with a mimeograph machine, making fliers, taking them around to dealerships. Students worked out of my personal toolbox for a few months.”

Later in his tenure at GCC he served as Associate Dean of Instruction and Dean of Business and Technology under the realm of GCC President Dr. John Waltrip. From 1989-1999 he served as the President of Gateway Community College. In 1999, he served as Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at the Maricopa Community College District Office.  In 2002 he returned home to GCC and served as interim president and in February 2003 he became president of GCC. Phil retired in August 2005. This truly represents the circle of life----he started his career at GCC, held other positions within the Maricopa district, came home and retired from GCC. 

He was present later to open the newly expanded Dr. Phillip D. Randolph Automotive Technology Center on January 15, 2016. It is not the first auto tech center on campus; not by a long shot. “While I’m struck by the naming of the building, all I did was start it. It’s not about me. It’s about people who made it great. I was speechless,” Randolph said. “I look at myself as just a hometown boy doing my job.”

Another topic that was close to Randolph’s heart was the emergency scholarship programs at GCC that helped to pay for books, rent, child care and transportation for students who needed those services but couldn’t afford them.

Dr. Randolph returned as Interim President of GCC on May 13, 2002. Read more about Phil Randolph in the Glendale Star.

Sue was a pillar of the GCC institution and forged the path for many of us in the Business and Information Technology department and on campus. She began working at GCC in August of 1981 working in the BIT department. She was vital in getting the High Tech Center at GCC and when it was up and operational, she was responsible for overseeing the operations there for a number of years. She then returned to the Business and Information Technology department to teach full-time and retired in May 2011. Sue had a passion for teaching and failed at retirement because she continued teaching as an adjunct faculty member until her passing.

Throughout his years as an educator and counselor, Dr. Griego was a passionate advocate for all students. He championed the aspirations of every person he counseled and convinced many they could succeed when they thought they could not. He was confident in his message because he saw himself in many whom he counseled. Decades prior, Joe had left his hometown Prescott, Arizona, to achieve his dream of being the first in his family to earn a college degree. He knew others could be encouraged to do the same.