Dr. William Blow, Interim President of Jefferson Davis Community College, has announced the appointment of Mary Beth Lancaster as Dean of Instruction.

As the college’s chief instructional officer, Lancaster will be responsible for curriculum and teaching, faculty development and overall academic

administration. She will also serve as the contact with governing bodies on academic matters and will be heavily involved in accreditation procedures.

“I am confident that Dean Lancaster will provide outstanding leadership for our instructional program at Jefferson Davis Community College, and we are fortunate that she will serve the institution in this important role,” Blow said.

Lancaster has been employed for almost 23 years at JDCC, during which she has served in several roles at various times, including Coordinator of the Orientation to College Program, Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness, Coordinator of Development Studies, and Director of Adult Education. She has taught English and communications since 1996 and has served as Chair of Humanities Division since 2007. More recently, she has also served as Chair of the Rosemary C. Jernigan Honors Program.

Lancaster earned the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in English and a minor in music and the Master of Arts degree in English Education at the University of Mobile. She has done additional graduate study at Auburn University, the University of South Alabama and the University of West Florida. Currently, she is a member of the 2016-2017 class of the Alabama Community College Leadership Academy sponsored by the University of Alabama in cooperation with the Alabama Community College System and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

Lancaster resides in Atmore. She is married to Steve Lancaster, and they have three daughters: Paige, who recently graduated from Auburn University and is now employed as a nurse at USA Medical Center in Mobile; Bailey, a senior at Escambia Academy; and Mary Thompson, a sophomore at Escambia Academy. The Lancasters are members of the First Baptist Church of Atmore where she is the church pianist.