KJ Askew - Director, Marketing & Strategic Engagement, Nash Community College
About this episode
Dr. Kenyon "KJ" Askew Jr. discusses his journey from Bertie County to a leadership role at Nash Community College and the evolving landscape of community college education.
In this episode of TC Spotlight, we sit down with Dr. Kenyon "KJ" Askew Jr., D.B.A., Director of Marketing & Strategic Engagement at Nash Community College.We start with KJ's story — growing up in Colerain, NC (Bertie County), the path from Bertie County Schools to a leadership role at Nash, and what that journey taught him about opportunity, drive, and what it takes for talented young professionals to rise quickly in the Twin Counties. His trajectory is the kind of local success story that proves the region can grow its own talent when the doors are open and the work ethic is there.Then we turn to Nash Community College. KJ walks us through current enrollment — the numbers, the momentum, and what's drawing students in 2026. We zoom out from there into a bigger-picture look at where community college sits in the higher education landscape today: more accessible than four-year universities, more career-focused than traditional liberal arts paths, and under increasing pressure to prove their value in a world full of alternative credentials.The conversation wraps with how higher ed is changing — shifting demographics, workforce demands, stackable certificates, AI in…
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