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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... ROGUE COMMUNITY COLLEGE RCC President Angstadt retires Comment By Ruth Longoria Kingsland Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Ruth Longoria Kingsland Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted May. 18, 2015 at 6:48 PM By Ruth Longoria Kingsland Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted May. 18, 2015 at 6:48 PM » Social News His first association with Rogue Community College was nearly 40 years ago. In 1978, a young Peter Angstadt applied for a position at the college. These days, he can't recall now what the position was, but he remembers distinctly his disappointment at the "nice rejection letter" he received. "I remember thinking, 'Rats! I really wanted to work there,'" Angstadt says, from his view office in the college's H Building on a recent weekday afternoon. "Now, 37 years later, I'm president," he says. Angstadt often tells students they never know where their future can take them. "Even if they have a degree in zoology (as he does), there's no prerequisite type of degree to be president. Just be open to your future," he says with a smile. More than a decade after accepting a position as president of the college, Angstadt recently announced plans to retire next year. "I'm 60 years old now, I will be 61 when I retire. It's just time," he says. In his 12 years at the helm of RCC, Angstadt has accomplished much, but to hear him talk, he might as well have been a bystander. "My biggest accomplishment was just to be able to work with thoughtful, fantastic, visionary people," he says. "I tried to help people achieve great things." A few of the things he acknowledges playing a part in include expanding the college's health profession and manufacturing departments, and improving transfer student grade point averages, which for the past 10 years have been the highest GPAs of all community college transfer students in the state. However, his contributions to the college have been far wider and more significant than he admits, according to Pat Ashley, chair of the RCC Board. "Peter has been a visionary leader for this college," she says. "We are sad that he will be leaving us, but very thankful for his many positive contributions." Angstadt has worked with faculty and staff to develop curriculum additions, such as an industrial mechanics program, a short-track training program to fill the demand for mechanics in the region; and, the recent addition of an athletics program. In 2008, he was part of a team working in partnership with Southern Oregon University and the Medford Chamber of Commerce to create the Higher Education Center in downtown Medford. That three-story facility allows RCC and SOU students to access college courses at one location. It was the first such partnership in the state between a community college and a university. One of Angstadt's many attributes, according to Ashley, is his ability to build relationships with businesses, organizations and government entities to serve the best interests of the community. Family relationships also are an important part of Angstadt's life. He has been married to wife Denise for 30 years. The couple have five children, including four adult sons ranging from 20 to 28 years old: Peter Jr., a software engineer in Santa Monica, Calif.; Adam, who works for an organic bakery in Medford; Alexander, who splits his time between Ashland and Alaska; and Jonathan, an expert kayaker, who lives part of the year in the United States and part in Chile. All of the Angstadt men are river guides, like their dad, he said. The family's youngest member is adopted 8-year-old daughter Madeleine. The couple has been foster parents for the past 11 years and fostered Madeleine from the time she was two days old. They were able to adopt her at 2 years old. Angstadt has had several major accomplishments in his six decades, including serving two terms as the mayor of Pocatello, Idaho, from 1990 to 1998. He grew up in Lafayette, Colo., and earned a bachelor's degree in zoology and a master's in higher education administration from Colorado State University. He also earned an MBA from Idaho State University. And, he earned a doctorate in educational policy and management from the University of Oregon. Prior to working at RCC, he served as president of Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely, Colo., and as chief financial officer and dean of college services at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City. In addition to volunteer activities, and possibly "growing a really big beard," Angstadt says, in retirement he plans to return to his first love — whitewater rafting. It's an activity Angstadt has enjoyed since his youth. He spent his teens and young adult years working as a rafting guide on the Rogue River. "We'd pick up visitors down by the Taprock and take them to Grave Creek," he recalls. Many trips were two to three days, so he says, he pretty much lived at Indian Mary Park, camping there on off days, then going on river trips and back to Indian Mary for another week or two at a time. He says he is looking forward to spending more time whitewater rafting. He also will continue his activities on community boards, such as the Asante Hospital Board, Oregon College Savings Board, and the Grants Pass Rotary. The RCC Board has launched a nationwide search for the college's sixth president, Ashley says, adding that it will be difficult to find someone to fill Angstadt's shoes. By Ruth Longoria Kingsland Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Ruth Longoria Kingsland Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted May. 18, 2015 at 6:48 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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