Wes Rakestraw
ONEONTA – Wallace State Community College this week announced the appointment of Wesley (Wes) Rakestraw, of Holly Pond, as interim director of Wallace State’s Oneonta Campus Center. He takes over the position following the retirement of Dr. Kelley Jones, who served as the director since the opening of the Oneonta campus in 2016.
Rakestraw joined Wallace State in 1993 as a biology Instructor. More recently, he served as the division chair of Natural Sciences. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology and his Master of Science in Zoological Studies from Auburn University.
He has played an instrumental role in a number of Wallace State initiatives, including Learning Communities and the Pathways project, designed to streamline students’ paths to completion. He also serves on the President’s Leadership Council.
“I’m thrilled to be here in Oneonta,” Rakestraw said. “Everyone in the community has been so welcoming and positive.”
Rakestraw is expected to oversee the completion of the new building for Wallace State’s Oneonta campus in downtown Oneonta, slated for mid-2019.
"The new building is progressing nicely,” he said. It will contain academic classrooms as well as enrollment services and administrative offices, while the existing building will be converted to classrooms and labs for applied technology and health programs. Four new welding stations have been installed in the original facility to meet demand, bringing the total up to 14.”
Rakestraw is married to Donnette, his wife of 25 years.
He welcomes students to stop by the Oneonta campus to meet him and learn more about registering for fall semester.
Registration is currently underway for fall semester at Wallace State. Classes begin August 15. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu or call 205-625-4020.
