The Mission of Instruction is to ensure high quality courses and outstanding programs in various delivery modes to all individuals who desire to pursue higher education. In addition, the Instructional area will provide a wide array of support services to foster student success.
Welcome
El Paso Community College (EPCC) offers more than 130 educational programs leading to Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees or Certificates of Completion. Enrollment in these programs tops 26,000 students. Students who complete their first two years of college and transfer to the University of Texas at El Paso and other area institutions of higher learning in the region and the state are able to make the transition seamlessly. Students who wish to study English as a Second Language are able to enroll in both credit and non-credit courses, depending on their academic and career goals. High School students across the El Paso region may get a head start on their pathway to higher education by enrolling in Dual Credit courses taught in a variety of formats.
The Instructional Area is comprised of an array of academic, developmental and occupational programs administered by 11 deans on five campuses; support services including the Curriculum Office, the Office of Student Success, Counseling Services, Library Technical Services and Faculty Development. Academic programs leading to an Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree include many fields of study. Occupational programs are offered on all five campuses and there are more than 20 Health Occupations Programs.
The creation of the Early College High Schools (ECHS), a growing partnership with the local area independent school districts, offer students the opportunity to obtain an Associate of Arts degree as they graduate from high school. The first ECHS was established in partnership with the Socorro Independent School District and is located at the EPCC Mission Del Paso Campus. It opened its doors in July 2006. A second ECHS in partnership with the Ysleta Independent School District opened in July 2007 at the EPCC Valle Verde Campus. In July 2008, in partnership with the Canutillo Independent School District, the third ECHS opened its doors at the EPCC Northwest Campus. A fourth ECHS was established at the Transmountain Campus in conjunction with the El Paso Independent School District opening in July 2008. The fifth ECHS is a unique partnership bringing together three districts including Fabens Independent School District, Fort Hancock Independent School District and Tornillo Independent School District. This ECHS is located at Fabens Independent School District facilities and opened its doors in August 2010. Our latest and sixth ECHS opened its doors in August 2012, in partnership with the Clint Independent School District.
The eMerging Science and Technology Institute (eMSTI) is another unique partnership with Management and Engineering Technologies, Inc. (METI). The partnership was formed to facilitate EPCC’s entry into federal and local contracting arenas to provide relevant work opportunities for students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The partnership also provides professional development opportunities for faculty and students, to include student scholarships.
Student Technology Services (STS) also falls under the Instructional Division and is a program staffed and managed entirely by EPCC students. The program currently employs 88 students throughout the District and provides supervisory and professional work experience as the students pursue their higher educational goals.
Steven E. Smith, Ed.D.
Vice President of Instruction and Workforce Education
Vitae
Steve Smith graduated from UTEP with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems and from Webster University with a Masters of Arts in Computer Resource Management. He has been recognized with several awards including the El Paso Energy Foundation Faculty Achievement Award, the Aristotle Award for creative classroom techniques honors program, and the NISOD Excellence Award. Steve Smith is the Vice President of Instruction at El Paso Community College (EPCC). In this capacity, he oversees the instructional programs at EPCC’s five campuses. EPCC is a comprehensive urban college with 30,000 credit students and 8,000 continuing education/non-credit students in El Paso, Texas. As Vice President he has district-wide responsibility for the College’s credit transfer, career and technical and developmental education programs, the Americana Language Program, Instructional Support Services, Counseling Services, Libraries and the five College Campuses. Administrators reporting to the Vice President include eleven Instructional Deans, five of whom also serve as Campus Deans, three Directors: Student Success, Distance Education, Library Technical Services, and the Curriculum Manager. As a senior administrator, Mr. Smith oversees 1,500 employees and a $47 million budget.
Prior to his current role, he served for numerous years as the Instructional Dean for Math, Science and Career & Technical Education Division at EPCC’s Transmountain Campus. In this position, he managed the daily operation of more than 21 diverse disciplines. These include the STEMs disciplines and the career and technology programs offered at the Transmountain Campus. He also oversaw several programs offered at EPCC’s Administrative Services Center (ASC) and the 3D Holographic Lab at the Valle Verde Campus. He is the director of EPCC’s eMerging Science and Technology Institute (eMSTI) and also served as Campus Dean for EPCC’s Transmountain Campus. He also served as the liaison for the Transmountain Early College High School (TMECHS). This science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) focused school is a partnership with the El Paso Independent School District. Prior to serving in this position, he served as a full-time tenured professor in the Information Technology Systems Discipline from fall 1989 to fall 2001.
Education
- MA: Computer Resource Management, Webster University,1998
- BBA: Computer Information Systems, University of Texas at El Paso, 1988
Grants/Activities
- Integrating Vocational and Academic Learning Programs (IVALP), Introductory Computing: A Portfolio Approach, U.S. Department of Education Grant, 1996
- Integrating Vocational and Academic Learning Programs (IVALP), Introduction to Computer Programming, U.S. Department of Education Grant, 1997
- Internet Teachers at Every College, Advisory Committee Member/Curriculum Developer/Instructor, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Grant, 1999-2001
- Texas State Leadership Consortium for Professional Development, Carl Perkins Grant, 1998-2001
- Integrating Technical Contexts Into Academic Courses (ITAC), Carl Perkins Grant, 2001
- Texas Instructional Leadership Academy, Advisory Committee, Carl Perkins Grant, 2002-present
- Texas State Leadership Consortium for Professional Development (TSLCPD), Carl Perkins Grant, 2004-2006
- Texas Leadership Alliance (TLA), Carl Perkins Grant, 2004-Present
Professional Organizations
- National Association of Community College Administrators
- Texas Association of College Technical Educators
- Texas Community College Instructional Administrators
- Texas Council of College Instructional Leaders
