Wilburn Bolen
Wilburn Bolen, tax collector/assessor in George County, was appointed to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Board of Trustees in January. As a George County representative, he replaces the late Arlie Howell, who served on the board from 1973-December 1990 and from January 1992 until his death in July 2009.
“As an alumnus, I am particularly proud to serve as a representative of Gulf Coast in the community,” Bolen said. “The George County Center, where I attended some of my classes, has grown so much in the past few years. I am especially pleased to see the class offerings expanded. I would like to see our students graduating from the center without having to attend another campus for some of their classes.”
Bolen received his associate degree in business administration from the Jackson County Campus in Gautier before attending The University of Southern Mississippi, where he received his bachelor’s degree.
“We have really had a population explosion in the past few years,” Bolen says of George County, whose population has grown significantly since Hurricane Katrina. “Having Gulf Coast situated in Lucedale has truly been an asset to the community, allowing us to attract business, industry and individuals to move here.”
Part of the reason Gulf Coast has been so successful, Bolen added, is because the college maintains partnerships in the local business community and is locally administrated. “Because Gulf Coast maintains such close ties to the communities in its four-county district, the administration is able to make decisions based on community need. That has been a key to its success. I am glad to be a part of that success, and I truly believe the communities in the district will continue to support the college. People don’t mind supporting something if they can see progress.”
