Dr. Thomas Darren
Felty

Dr. Darren Felty has taught English and served as a department head and academic administrator at Trident Technical College (TTC) in Charleston, South Carolina, since 1999. He served as TTC’s Achieving the Dream Chair for over a decade. In this role, he coordinated TTC’s ATD data research discussions, initiative development explorations, and results analyses and reporting, and he presented on TTC’s college transformation efforts, including converting to seven-week terms in 2014, at multiple DREAM and other academic conferences. More importantly, Dr. Felty’s work with the ATD Network has profoundly enriched his commitment to and experience with college-wide change efforts to enhance foundational student supports and success.  

Dr. Felty currently serves as an assistant vice president for academic support and a satellite campus dean, and his experiences with intensive data analyses and responsiveness have shaped his approach to institutional decision making. Dr. Felty also has been deeply involved with TTC’s accreditation efforts, General Education Core Curriculum revisions and assessments, and academic program evaluations, and he continues to serve as a committee chair for SACSCOC accreditation committees. 

How has education changed your life/your family? 

Education has transformed my life. I was only the second person in my extended family to complete college, and I was raised by a single parent who taught me the value of education not only through her own sacrifices and fortitude but, later in life, through her willingness to pursue her own education and gain a transformed future for herself. My professional life is education, and my dedication to this mission has fueled both my passion for my work and my commitment to helping every student with whom I have the privilege to grow.