After more than three decades of service, Scott Cox has retired from Louisiana Delta Community College, closing a career that began in 1994 when the institution was still known as Louisiana Technical College - Tallulah.
Cox started as a special project coordinator and worked across numerous departments over the years, including student services, public relations, and grant development. “Between then and now, we’ve come quite a long way,” he said, reflecting on a time when the campus had no internet and required basic technological infrastructure upgrades.
Eventually, Cox succeeded Terry Murphy, who he credited with laying the foundation for the school’s success, as campus director. “Mr. Murphy…is responsible for basically [the campus’s] success over the years,” Cox noted.
One of the highlights of Cox’s tenure was his community involvement. A member of the Rotary Club since 1994, he also served on the Workforce Development Board and contributed to regional economic alliances. “I guess it’s the diversity in the job…that was my favorite part,” he said.
His successor, Whitni Smith, is poised to carry on that legacy. “She knows the job, so she’ll do great,” Cox affirmed.
Photo by Camryn Thompson
At his retirement celebration on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at the Tallulah Campus of Louisiana Delta Community College, multiple speakers highlighted Cox’s impact. “He really grew this place,” Smith said, reading a note from a colleague who credited Cox with helping maintain 300 well-compensated jobs in the area. Others praised his years of service on boards and his representation of higher education for 10 rural parishes in Northeast Louisiana.
Though stepping away from his formal role, Cox plans to remain active in community work, continuing his involvement with Head Start, the Rotary Club, and other organizations. “I’ll probably take six months to a year off and then I’ll kind of assess what I want to do,” he said. “Thirty-one years is a long time.”
He closed his remarks with gratitude to the Tallulah community: “There’s some really good people in Tallulah…I really have made some good friends and I’ve always appreciated those friendships.”
