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When Collin College 校董会 Secretary Jim Orr reflects on Collin County’s growth, he recalls what it looked like when he moved to the area.

“The Tollway ended at a stop light at Frankford Road, Frisco was just starting to be a suburb, Prosper was a spot on the map, and Celina barely existed,” Orr said.

Orr’s career began in telecommunications with Northern Telecom in Richardson and has flourished to include senior roles in large, multinational companies as well as multiple startup operations. He worked in global business development in the consumer and enterprise electronics industry for more than 30 years and has extensive experience with board-level management. In 2015, he was looking for a way to be engaged with the community, and he believed that same kind of experience needed to be brought to the college’s Board.

“A passion for education and the community is critical but isn’t all that is needed,” Orr said. “The Board-level position is really supposed to be about knowing how to help protect the taxpayers and work with the college to meet strategic goals.”

他于2015年5月当选为董事会成员，并于2021年5月再次当选。 He serves on the Organization, Education, and Policy Committee and on the Collin College 基金会 Board.

According to Orr, the college offers a range of programs to help the entire breadth of the county, including courses that transfer to universities, bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, and certificates that provide students with the skills they need to get into the workforce quickly.

Orr takes great satisfaction in the college’s quality faculty and staff and the positive comments he receives from the community.

“你很少听到关于金沙博彩的坏话，”奥尔说。 “For me, the biggest source of pride is that I can talk about Collin College, and there’s a good understanding of the value to the community.”

Orr noted that the college’s reputation is solid because its fundamental operations are sound.

“In terms of debt, financial or operational risks, the college is extremely well-positioned to follow, and then lead, the direction that the population will go,” Orr said. “In terms of what we carry on the books, our financial ratings, and our credit ratings, we are very well set to meet whichever demand comes at us over the next 20-30 years.”

奥尔对该县和学院的未来感到兴奋。

“The next 30 years, if you look at the projections in terms of population, are just awe inspiring,” Orr said. “未来包括增长和密度。 We must stay ahead of it in terms of providing services and facilities to meet that growth pattern. We need to ensure that the quality of education is upheld during times of rapid technology changes.”

For those who want to make a positive impact, Orr adds that there is always an occasion to serve at Collin College.

“If you have an opportunity to give back to the community and you have the skill set, think about us,” Orr said.

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