John Boyd Interim provost at the Grand Strand Campus at Horry-Georgetown Technical College in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Boyd said he would like to work in a community that fulfills two of his passions: hunting and fishing. Beyond that, he wants the challenge of working at a college still recovering from budget cuts. "If I didn't think I could come out here and make a difference, I wouldn't be here," he said. "I'm very successful where I'm at. Very successful. I would be taking a risk coming here." After retiring early from the Army, in which he served as an infantry officer, Boyd taught at a South Carolina technical college and created a four-year criminal justice program. He said he would work to stabilize enrollment at the Rangely campus and increase enrollment in Craig. "Frankly, morale here is terrible," he said. "If someone doesn't step in, you're going to lose the people that make this a great college." Boyd said raising money would be the president's primary function. He, too, envisions Craig having its own full campus. C.J. Law Dean of instructional services at Dawson Community College in Glendive, Mont. Law said college officials have made decisions for financial instead of academic reasons, which in the long run would cost the college money. Cutting programs means decreased enrollment, he said. "You just shot yourself in the foot again, but this time with a big gun," he said. He said a president is needed who understands the workings of a community college and who represents Northwest Colorado, not just the Rangely campus. Law said the college has a lot of potential and that he would like to explore offering a two-year agricultural program, as well as more programs related to the energy-industry. Law said his experience makes him a good fit for the position and the community and that he can relate to and understand the rural lifestyle. Robert Behunin Associate executive director of Utah State University-Uintah Basin Behunin said he is a hands-on leader and a people person. "People are the lifeblood of the institution," he said. Behunin said he would hold focus groups to see how the college could better recruit students and staff members. His focus would be on providing things studies show students want -- financial assistance, recreation and entertainment and strong academics, he said. "Are we buying students? Yeah. Does buying students work? Yeah," he said. He would work toward the goal of building housing for Craig students. Behunin has been a professional registered lobbyist for nearly four years and said he was comfortable working with elected officials on behalf of higher education. He said he saw himself as guiding and propelling the college but said growth depended on the community taking ownership of the college. Behunin is married and has four children, ages 10 to 17. Weldon Sleight Associate vice president for University Extension and associate dean for continuing education at Utah State University in Logan Sleight is passionate about higher education. "Rural America is in trouble," he said. "I've seen the positive economic impact higher education can have on a rural community." Although he's long left the classroom, Sleight still speaks to students about the importance of higher education. He said the future of Colorado Northwestern Community College depends on imparting that value to the area's teens. But, those who miss the opportunity deserve a second chance, best given by community colleges, he said. Sleight knows about the pressures single parents face. He spent several years as a single father of three children younger than 5. He said he thought community colleges should be an avenue of relief, a promise of a higher-paying job, not a pipedream. Sleight said that if he's selected, he'll spend time in the community, "building partnerships to build colleges."