Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL)
Relevant, Accessible and Affordable
On September 3, 2020, Richard Gough, President of TCL presented an overview of TCL at the Greater Island Council of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton’s monthly general meeting of members.
About TCL
Technical: Career-oriented education for today’s high-skill jobs.
College: 80+ accredited academic programs and transfer degree options.
Lowcountry: Community-directed and locally focused.
The Technical College of the Lowcountry is the region’s primary provider of post-secondary education and workforce training. The public, two-year, multi-campus community college serves approximately 5,000 students annually. The college offers a variety of curricular programs including university transfer options, career and continuing education, online learning, and dual enrollment for area high school students. TCL’s vision is to evaluate each student and every community we serve through transformative technology and exceptional teaching.
TCL Mission
Provide learning opportunities that advance workforce development, promote economic development and ensure attainment of student learning goals – effectively increasing the employability of our citizens and, ultimately, enhancing the quality of life for all.
About Richard Gough
Gough’s career began with 25 years in the United States Marine Corps, where his primary duties were in aviation, logistics, and training and education. He served at every level of command prior to retiring as colonel in 2000. Gough went on to work for a defense contractor installing computer networks at air stations and on ships.
He then started his career in higher education as the Dean of Business and Administrative Services at Montgomery Community College in Troy, N.C. He most recently served as Executive Vice President at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, N.C. While there, Gough was instrumental in expanding enrollment and outreach and focused on economic development partnerships that helped attract new businesses and enterprises to the area while meeting the training needs of existing industry and business partners.
Gough holds a Doctor of Education from East Carolina University, a Master of Arts in Human Resources Management from Pepperdine University, a Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Finance and Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from Michigan State University.