Dr. Johnny Moore, a finalist for the presidency position at Temple College, was invited to speak Thursday during a public forum on campus. Moore was the third finalist to be brought to campus. The remaining finalists will be brought in today and Monday. The following is a question-and-answer piece with Dr. Moore:

Telegram: What made you apply for the presidency position?

Moore: I believe that my background in math will fit in tremendously with what (TC) is trying to do with things like the Texas Bioscience Institute. I believe the college is a wonderful institution, and I want to be a part of it. It also caught my attention because Temple is about five hours away from my hometown in Arkansas.

Telegram: Why do you feel as though you’re the best candidate for the job?

Moore: Again, I would say that my background in mathematics would be a tremendous benefit to the college. I think that with the direction this college seems to be taking, the candidate they’re looking for should have a math or science education background. The college is dedicated to the TBI program, and is in the process of building a new science building.

I also believe that my background as an instructor, department chair, counselor, athletics coach and administrator make me a very well-rounded candidate.

Telegram: In the scheme of higher education, what role do you believe community colleges play?

Moore: Let me answer that by saying this, I would not want to imagine this community without a community college. Nationwide, community colleges educate 12 million undergraduates every year. That’s about 46 percent of undergraduates pursuing higher education. Community colleges are the portal of entry into college for more than half of the minority students who are currently in college and they educate about 60 percent of nurses.

I believe community colleges are vital to this country in terms of education. Think about where this country would be without them.

Telegram: What are your feelings on the expansion that seems to be taking place at community colleges across the state?

Moore: Expansion is critical. Every citizen should be afforded an opportunity to better him or herself. So many potential students are place-bound they can’t go anywhere. My wife and I visited Cameron, and from what I’ve seen, expanding the programs out there is going to be critical to the success of this college. Satellite campuses are going to be important to TC, because of the growth of the communities surrounding the city.

Telegram: What types of political lobbying experience do you have?

Moore: As the chief officer within our student affairs department, I act as a liaison between our students and the people at our schools who have ties to government and state agencies. My position has not afforded me the chance to work directly with legislators, although I am responsible for a lot of the information that gets funneled to our president, who has a hands-on role with our legislators.

Telegram: How do community colleges help fulfill the needs of that community’s workforce?

Moore: Building a strong workforce is what community colleges are about, it’s what they do. Several jobs do not necessarily require a bachelor’s degree. Long gone are the days when colleges expected an industry to come in and soak up graduates. Community colleges now have to create labor markets for their students. One of the ways they do that is by working directly with the businesses that are already there, to meet their demands. This helps create a pipeline or a pool of employees, for local businesses, keeping infrastructure at home and enhances their workforce.

Telegram: What types of experiences do you have in dealing with athletic programs?

Moore: I’m a former college athlete. Basketball is my thing. I’m a former coach. At my school, the athletic department reports directly to me. I think that we have one of the best athletic programs in the country in Florida. We have won 33 consecutive national championships in swimming and diving. That streak is longer than any collegiate streak, or professional sports championship streak in the world. We have also created an accountability plan for academics, which is second to none. A number of our student athletes are not only All-Americans in their sports, but they are Academic All-Americans. Athletics are a critical part of a total educational package. College athletes gain discipline, leadership, decision making and perseverance skills.

Telegram: What’s the first thing you would do if you were to become the president?

Moore: If I’m hired, one of the first things I would do is scan the environment. There has been a tremendous amount of success at this school, so I would like to go out and talk to people. I would like to find out why and how the school has been successful. I want to get a feel of the culture and build upon the solid foundation they already have.

Telegram: Do you think that community colleges are important tools for helping out local school districts and their students?

Moore: Middle college is important. When you can reach young people early on and get them excited about math and science, it’s incredible. Today, I had the chance to tour the TBI, which was amazing. By creating opportunities for students at a young age, they become connected to higher education. I also think it’s important to have conversations with local school districts because a lot of students nationwide are taking remedial classes and not getting the hands-on assistance they need at the lower grade levels, which would prepare them for college.