AFIT Welcomes Dr. John Enamait, President of Stanly Community College

Dr. Enamait has served as president of Stanly Community College since August 2016, becoming the institution’s fifth president since its founding in 1971. Under his leadership, SCC has developed a strong culture of continuous improvement focused on data, collaboration, innovation, and measurable student outcomes. 

A proud community college graduate himself, Dr. Enamait earned an A.A.S. from Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute before earning a B.S. and MBA from Gardner-Webb University and a Ph.D. in Technology Management with a specialization in Digital Communications from Indiana State University. His career in higher education began at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, where he served as a faculty member in Information Systems and Business Administration. He later served as Dean of the School of Business, Industry, and Technology at Catawba Valley Community College and Vice President of Instruction at Edgecombe Community College. 

Dr. Enamait’s leadership at Stanly Community College has been marked by a willingness to challenge traditional practices and pursue meaningful organizational transformation. During his time at SCC, they have redesigned student support, strengthened workforce and community partnerships, and used disaggregated data to identify and address barriers to student success. These efforts have helped increase the college’s graduation rate from approximately 13% to 72%, while also improving retention and course success and substantially reducing equity gaps. 

“I am deeply interested in organizational transformation because colleges cannot meet changing student, workforce, and community needs by relying solely on incremental improvement,” Dr. Enamait shared. “At Stanly Community College, I have worked to build a culture that uses data, collaboration, and thoughtful experimentation to challenge established practices and improve results.” 

His commitment to innovation extends beyond SCC. Dr. Enamait currently serves as chair of the American Association of Community Colleges Board of Directors and has held numerous leadership roles within the community college sector, including service with the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents and the Southern Association of Colleges with Associate Degrees. He has also been actively engaged with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, chairing three reaffirmation committees and serving on multiple additional review teams. 

Dr. Enamait was also selected for the inaugural cohort of the Aspen Institute’s Presidents Fellowship, a program focused on developing sustainable reforms that advance excellence and equity in student outcomes. 

AFIT is excited to welcome Dr. Enamait to our community of innovative higher education leaders. His experience leading transformational change, commitment to student success, and national perspective will bring valuable insight to the AFIT community, and we look forward to learning alongside him as we continue to explore what’s possible in higher education. 

Welcome to AFIT, Dr. Enamait!