Messenger - Vol. 4, No. 1, Page 11 1994 Linda Jolly-Salem College My goal at Salem College is to make it the best, rural community college in the nation," says president Linda Jolly, Delaware '73M. A graduate of Howard University, Jolly says attending the University of Delaware provided a new experience for her, exposing her to a different culture and environment. As a single parent working for the Delaware Division of Social Services, Jolly was encouraged by the division to attend the University's College of Human Resources for graduate study in child development. "The faculty was supportive, and I learned a lot in and out of the classroom," Jolly says. "As an African-American graduate student then, I was something of an anomaly, so it was a learning experience for all of us." Jolly helped found an infant-care research center in Milford, Del., as part of her graduate work. "The real-life, hands-on experience was invaluable," she says. One of Jolly's friends and mentors at Delaware was the late Richard Wilson, who became the University's first, full-time black administrator when, in 1967, he was named director of the Upward Bound program. After Delaware, Jolly received her doctorate from the United States International University and also worked as the director of the East San Diego Community Center. Before assuming her present position, Jolly served as vice president and campus director of Delaware Technical & Community College at its Terry Campus in Dover, Del. Salem Community College, a two-year public institution established in 1972, has a student population of 3,900, with a median age of 29. It offers associate degrees and certificate programs in liberal arts, technology, nursing, business and education. Among her accomplishments at Salem Community College, Jolly developed a Graduate Guarantee Program for students employed by local firms. If a graduate's training is inadequate in any way, the employee may return to Salem College for further training at no cost.