The Driftwood Bay room in the SUB has seen plenty of traffic, but perhaps not quite the level it had on March 1.
More than 60 well-wishers gathered around to congratulate and bid farewell to one man: Vice President for Instruction Jay Lee.
Lee is leaving NIC to accept the position of president at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado.
NIC President Priscilla Bell was the first of eight to make a small speech at the farewell reception.
“I send him off to Colorado with many regrets, because he won’t be here at NIC, but with lots of goodwill and so much excitement and enthusiasm,” Bell said.
Bell’s speech went over the highlights of Lee’s time at NIC, as well as his main accomplishments.
“You’re leaving your successor an easier path,” Bell said.
Bell’s speech also took a lighter note, teasing Lee about his love of sports and work ethic.
When talking about Lee’s sense of humor, she also displayed a bit of her own, telling a series of community college president jokes.
“A community college president is like a director of a cemetery—everyone’s beneath him and nobody listens,” Bell said.
Bell wasn’t the only one to rib the VP. Nearly every other speaker made a series of jokes about his sport’s prowess, or lack thereof.
“I kind of learned that Jay plays golf a little bit like a wrestler,” teased Sheldon Nord, vice president for student services.
Athletics Director Al Williams said when describing Lee’s skill at basketball, “Whenever you’re tired, you want to guard Jay, he could be wide open, but he’s not going to make a shot.”
Williams also shared a story about someone summing Lee’s skills up as, “He can’t play dead in a cowboy boot.”
Sports weren’t the only topic speakers took aim at: many also made a series of jokes about the town Lee will be moving to.
“Jay, I want you to look around the room, you’re going to see more people in here than you’re going to see in Sterling,” deadpanned Ron Dorn, vice president of resource management, who has visited Sterling several times.
Mark Browning, vice president of communications and marketing, also had some words to share about Sterling. “I lived in Colorado for a time, I’ve been to Sterling. It’s not hell, but you can see it from there,” Browning said. But between the laughs were moments of heartfelt sentiment, too.
“In seriousness, I have learned a tremendous amount from Jay in just the short amount of time I’ve been here, and I’ve appreciated his willingness to pick up the phone or come over and say, ‘What do you need? What can I help you with? You’re looking pretty overwhelmed,’ and I’ve appreciated that,” Browning said.
Rayelle Anderson, director of development and NIC foundation executive director, also had some words of encouragement for Lee.
“I think you love NIC, you came here with the genuine intention of doing right by the students and by the faculty and by the staff,” Anderson said. “That is deeply appreciated. You are genuinely a collaborative, team building leader and human being, and I have no doubt you are going to be a fabulous president.”
Bell echoed this thought, and ruminated on Lee’s connection with his co-workers.
“It’s been phenomenal to see Jay and how he’s worked to form many trusting, close relationships that have helped him to move forward in very positive ways at NIC, and this ability is going to serve him very, very well at Northeastern Junior College, not just with the college, but the entire community,” Bell said.
Lee looked visibly affected when it was finally his turn to take the podium, and more than a few faces in the audience bore similar tell-tale signs of deep emotions.
“The hardest thing is saying goodbye,” Lee said, as his voice cracked with emotion. “I do care about you, and I care about this college, and the time I had here was just wonderful and it’s been a great experience, and I’ve learned so much and enjoyed working with all of you.”
