Vol State community mourns untimely death of president
Volunteer State Community College announced the untimely death of President Dr. Orinthia T. Montague in a statement Friday.
Montague was hired to lead the Gallatin school two years ago and welcomed her third class of students last month.
"Dr. Montague was a true leader in every sense of the word," Vol State Vice President of Student Services Emily Short said. "She embodied hard work, intelligence, and compassion at every level of our organization. We will honor the work she began by continuing the endeavors she set forth, making each of our campus locations the model she envisioned."
Montague was appointed president of Volunteer State Community College by the Tennessee Board of Regents in July 2021. She officially began her position on Sept. 1, 2021.
She recently served as president of Tompkins Cortland Community College in Dryden, New York, where she’d been in the post since 2017.
Montague served as the vice president of student affairs and chief diversity officer and dean of students at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, MN, prior to joining Tompkins Cortland Community College, according to the release.
She previously worked for the University of Missouri St. Louis as an associate vice provost and dean of students before her time in Bloomington.
“Dr. O, as she was affectionately called, started and led the organization through a transformation to improve the student experience,” school officials wrote in a statement. “She was totally committed to the students and communities we serve.”
Recommended to the board by Chancellor Flora Tydings and selected over two other finalists, she was chosen to serve as the fourth person to lead Vol State in its 50-year history.
“Dr. Montague’s passing is a tremendous loss, not only to the Volunteer State Community but to the entire Tennessee Board of Regents System and higher education. She was a great leader who cared deeply about her students and their success,” Tydings said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband and family and the campus community.”
Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vol State community mourns untimely death of president Orinthia Montague
