News Releases

NINETEEN GRADUATE FROM THE OWENS AND UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO JOINT POLICE ACADEMY

Posted on December 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2017 – Nineteen students (14 University of Toledo students and 5 Owens students) will be honored for their exemplary academic achievements during graduation from the Owens Community College and University of Toledo joint Police Academy, Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m.

“This will be the third University of Toledo class that has graduated from the Owens Community College Basic Police Academy,” said Mark King, chair, Owens Criminal Justice and Emergency Services. “Our partnership with the University of Toledo has strengthened and proved beneficial to both institutions.”

The ceremony will take place at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts on the Owens Community College Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Rd, Perrysburg.

Founded in 1970, the Ohio Basic Peace Officer Training Academy at Owens Community College is offered in cooperation with the Ohio Peace Officers Training Commission. Police Academy students take courses in patrol operations, firearms, defensive tactics and criminal investigation using modern, high-tech police equipment. Students also receive expert instruction from local police officers, sheriff’s deputies and corrections officers, as well as state and federal agents.

For more information on Owens’ Criminal Justice and Emergency Services program, please visit www.owens.edu.

464 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL COMMENCEMENT

Posted on December 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Dec. 04, 2017 – 464 candidates for graduation, including 67 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 37th Owens Community College Fall Commencement on Friday, Dec. 08. Of those graduates, 90 will graduate with honors. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

The following degrees will be conferred: 75 Associate of Applied Business; 196 Associate of Applied Science; 77 Associate of Arts; 80 Associate of Science and 36 Associate of Technical Studies.

Kozait Elkhatib, Business Administration major graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

The 31-year-old native of Lebanon was born in a Palestinian refugee camp and lived there with her mother, older sister and younger brother until marrying her husband, U.S. Army veteran Talal Elkhatib, in March 2007. Their original wedding date in 2006 was postponed when the Israeli-Lebanese war broke out. They moved to the United States in April 2007 and began their life, starting a family which now includes two daughters, ages 9 and 6.

Elkhatib wanted to encourage her daughters to go to college when they were older, with the thought “education is not something we can be done with – you learn more every day.” She felt she needed to earn a degree first and enrolled at Henry Ford Community College when the family lived in Dearborn, Michigan. In 2016, the Elkhatibs moved to Perrysburg for Talal’s job at the Toledo Correctional Institution. She transferred her credits and enrolled at Owens.

“Owens felt like a family atmosphere. I love the classes. The teachers are wonderful. The same for the advisors. They respond in 24-48 hours. That’s important to me because I like to get things done,” she said.

A graduate of the Owens Honors Program, Elkhatib impressed with her presentation on Muslims in America at the Owens Honors and Service Learning Symposium and at the Mid-East Honors Association Symposium at Eastern Michigan University during Spring Semester 2017, according to Dr. Russ Bodi, Professor of English.

Added Jonathan Boyle, Adjunct Faculty in Business, “Kozait has proven herself to be an asset to the Owens Community College community. She is not only a scholar, but someone with an interesting life history.”

Earlier this year, Elkhatib started the process of becoming a U.S. citizen and it culminated in September when she was among 85 new citizens from 37 different countries naturalized at a ceremony at the University of Toledo.

In January, Elkhatib will begin a cohort program pursing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Managerial Studies at Tiffin University. She anticipates graduating in May 2019.

Away from college and family life, she works at New York Life Insurance Company in Maumee where she is a licensed insurance agent and will soon become a licensed financial advisor.

Jack Hershey is the president and CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC), which represents the presidents and trustees of the state’s 23 community colleges), will serve as the keynote speaker.

Hershey came to the OACC in 2014 after spending 10 years at the Ohio State University, where he most recently was the university’s Associate Vice President for State Relations, a position in which he managed state government affairs for the university.

Earlier in his career, Hershey was deputy director of the Office of Budget and Management under former Gov. Bob Taft and was director of finance and a financial analyst in the Ohio House of Representatives under former Speaker Jo Ann Davidson.

A Cleveland-area native, Hershey holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Management from the University of Akron. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Public Policy Management from the Ohio State University. Hershey, his wife, Sharon, and their two children reside in the Columbus area.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS TO HOST EVENT CELEBRATING THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF HELP-PORTRAIT™

Posted on November 21st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Nov. 21, 2017 – Owens staff, students and alumni will gather with the Summit Salon Academy Student Council and community volunteers on Saturday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Owens Learning Center Downtown Toledo, to donate their time and skills to create memorable professional portraits for those in need.

Photographers, make-up artists, hair stylists and volunteers will gather to take part in this event to mark the ninth annual Help-Portrait worldwide event. In 2008, Help-Portrait began as an idea that transformed into a movement in just three months. The idea behind Help-Portrait is simple: 1. Find someone in need 2. Take their portrait 3. Print their portrait and 4. Deliver their portrait.

Celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart formed Help-Portrait, a non-profit organization, in 2008 as he contemplated using his skills and expertise to give back to those who may not have the opportunity for a professional photo. The idea is that a photographer has the unique ability to help someone smile, laugh and return their dignity. It is a movement, a shift in photography.

In the last seven years, 73,241 volunteers have given more than 370,825 portraits. Help-Portrait is a global movement in more than 2803 locations in 67 countries. The annual Help-Portrait event takes place on the first Saturday of December each year in addition to special events.

The Owens Learning Center Downtown Toledo is located at 1301 Monroe St., Toledo. For additional information or questions, please contact Krista Kiessling at krista_kiessling@owens.edu.

OWENS TO HOST COMMUNITY RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR NEW VETERANS HALL

Posted on October 31st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 31, 2017 – Area residents are invited to get a firsthand look at Owens Community College’s new Veterans Hall as the academic institution officially opens the doors during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Owens representatives will be joined by community leaders and public officials at the ribbon cutting ceremony from 10 a.m. – noon at Veterans Hall on the Toledo-area Campus, 30335 Oregon Road, Perrysburg. Individuals will have the opportunity to tour the newly renovated facility, as well as learn about various services offered to veterans at Owens.

Veterans Hall, formally Kingsley Hall, was part of the Penta Career Center campus acquired by Owens Community College for $6 million in 2008 when Penta relocated west of I-75 along Buck Road. The purchase included more than 50 acres of land and three primary buildings, including Founders Hall and Heritage Hall. Renovations of the 19,000-square foot Veterans Hall cost $2.1 million, with the first phase of construction completed in March 2017 and the second phase finished in October 2017.

The circular drive  surrounding Veterans Hall was named “Mike McAlear Way” on May 3, 2017 following a generous donation to the Owens Community College Foundation in support of veterans programming by Mike McAlear, then a member of the Owens Community College Board of Trustees. The drive includes two reserved parking spaces for recipients of a Purple Heart, the decoration awarded to those wounded while serving with the U.S. military.

The signature development of the two-story Veterans Hall is a 1,700-square foot addition to the building’s east side that formed a new entrance and glass-enclosed atrium.

The first floor houses the offices of Veterans Services and Counseling Services, as well as a lounge dedicated for use by veterans in the Veterans Center, plus a computer lab, conference room and meeting room. The second- floor renovation created a tiered, multipurpose event space that includes a lobby, restrooms, small catering space and updated audio/visual equipment.

The Veterans Hall design emphasizes energy efficiency and conservation, evidenced by each room’s bank of lights automatically powering down after a period without detected movement. Glass windows are abundant within the atrium addition to reduce the necessity for some electric lighting and to allow in natural light. The entire facility includes building automation heating and air conditioning as well as wireless Internet access.

Stough and Stough Architects of Sylvania, Ohio designed Veterans Hall. Van Tassel Construction Corporation of Sylvania, Ohio served as the general contractor.

For more information about the Owens Community College Office of Veterans Services, please visit www.owens.edu/veterans.

OWENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GOLF OUTING AND DRONE GOLF BALL DROP RAISES $50,600

Posted on October 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Oct. 3, 2017 – One hundred twenty area residents recently enjoyed a day of golf and the new Drone Golf Ball Drop in support of alumni scholarship programs as the Owens Community College’s Alumni Association held its 15^th annual Golf Classic. The 30-team event raised $50,600, proceeds will benefit scholarships and outreach endeavors.

Since its inception, the Owens event has netted approximately $430,000 to support Owens students pursuing a college education and their career aspirations.

“The Alumni Association is very thankful for the generous support we received this year from all of our sponsors,” said Bridget Shea, Owens Alumni Association executive director. “Scholarships help students succeed and this year’s Drone Golf Ball Drop and Golf Classic will help Owens students fulfill their educational goals.”

Organized by the Alumni Association’s steering committee, the golf outing was held at Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg. The event featured the first Drone Golf Ball Drop in northwest Ohio, 18-holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program. The Golf Classic event was sponsored by Hylant and Hylant Administrative Services. Metzgers was the print sponsor. Rudolph Libbe Group was the Drone Golf Ball Drop sponsor and Toledo Aerial Media was the Drone sponsor.

Edward Jones sponsored the four-person scramble championship team. Team members included, Rick Rowe, Puck Rowe, Senator Randy Gardner and Owens alumnus Brooks Gardner. Brooks Gardner was a member of the Owens Community College golf team when he attended Owens from 2009 until 2011.

OWENS PRESENTS YET-TO-BE WRITTEN, CAST AND REHEARSED PLAYS DURING 24-HOUR ‘THEATRE EXPRESS’ EVENT

Posted on September 26th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Sept. 26, 2017 – Owens Community College students and faculty as well as community members will write, cast, rehearse and perform multiple plays in a 24-hour time period as the Center for Fine and Performing Arts serves as host to the tenth annual fall “Theatre Express” production, Sept. 29-30. The 24-hour theatre event will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 30, with participants premiering multiple plays in the Main Stage Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Area residents are invited to attend the Saturday evening performance, as the “Theatre Express” production is free and open to the public. Owens is located on 30335 Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

“Theatre goers are in for evening fun and enjoyment as they will have the opportunity to experience theatre of the unknown,” said Jeremy Meier, Owens associate professor of Fine and Performing Arts. “Each production will be written, cast, rehearsed and performed in the span of 24 hours, which is quite extraordinary.”

The 24-hour marathon begins Friday (Sept. 29) when Owens faculty members Eric Wallack, Shannon Smith, Bianca Marcia, Joy Parker and Carl Dietrich, along with local artists Erik Montgomery, John Toth and Owens alumnus Jordan Jarvis begin the arduous process of writing and staging multiple 10-minute plays. Owens Students and members of the community will act in these short plays, rehearsing them all day Sept. 30 and performing them that evening.

For additional information about the “Theatre Express” production, contact (567) 661-2798 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 2798.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADDS COMMUNITY AND FAMILY SERVICE DEGREE

Posted on August 9th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Aug. 9, 2017 – Blending the strengths of an early childhood educator and social worker, Owens Community College is adding a new program that will focus on making a difference in the lives of children and families living in northwest Ohio.

The Community and Family Service program requires 63 credit hours to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and will be offered on both the Toledo- and Findlay-area Campuses.

“Our graduates will have a primary role of engaging families of young children through activities, practices and services that support parents as the primary nurturers, experts and teachers of their child. By doing so, parents will be able to promote and sustain their child’s learning development and academic and life successes,” said Dr. Katherine Danko-McGhee, Chair, Teacher Education and Social Work department.

Workers in this field will have specific and intentional roles in the following four activities/strategies areas:

Promote and enhance the parent-child relationship
Engage parents in discussions about their child’s growth and development and provide parents information and opportunities to learn about concrete things they can do to promote their child’s learning
Encourage parents’ involvement in the education of their child
Facilitate the delivery of services to children and families through collaboration with community partners

Graduates will find employment with Early Head Start and Head Start or similar community agencies as a family advocate, home visitor, family service worker or family educator.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this field will grow by 11 percent by 2024. Median income is currently slightly more than $30,000.

“Parents are a child’s first and best teachers,” Danko-McGhee said, “and a graduate with this degree supports parental development by building on the family’s strengths.”

For more information about the Community and Family Service program, go online to www.owens.edu or call (567) 661-7283.

TOLEDO EDISON HIRES 19 GRADUATES FROM POWER SYSTEMS INSTITUTE TRAINING PROGRAM AT OWENS

Posted on July 14th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, July 14, 2017 – Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has hired 19 graduates of the companies’ utility worker training programs as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability for customers in northwest Ohio.

The new line workers represent the first graduating class since the Power Systems Institute (PSI) training program was reinstituted by FirstEnergy at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio.

“The PSI program is an effective pipeline for adding well-trained, highly skilled employees to our workforce,” said Rich Sweeney, regional president of Toledo Edison. “The rigorous class work and experience gained in the field by working with veteran line and substation personnel helps ensure our ability to maintain safe and reliable electric service for our customers.”

The new Toledo Edison lines employees listed by work location, with their hometowns, are:

Holland – Cody Eaken, Cygnet; Jacob King, Maumee; Travis Sumner, Maumee; Bailey VanStone, Carleton, Mich.; Joshua Willis, Oregon.
Lakewood – Andrew Bennett, Toledo; Nathan Brodbeck, Monclova; Zach Stewart, North Baltimore; Austin Thomas, Bowling Green.
Lindsey – Colin Dinkens, Maumee.
Wauseon – Andrew Drabek, Sylvania; Hayden Faber, Ida.

The new Toledo Edison substation employees listed by work location, with their hometowns, are:

Lakewood – Seth Dobbelare, Oak Harbor; Caleb Good, Hamler; Daniel Kegerize, Curtice; Michael Osbourne, Oak Harbor; Nathaniel Smith, Perrysburg; Arthur Stokes, Toledo; Ryan Swiczkowski, Temperance, Mich.

PSI is an award-winning, two-year educational program originally developed by FirstEnergy in 2000 to help prepare the company’s next generation of utility line and substation workers.

PSI students split time between classes at Owens Community College and Toledo Edison training facilities. Since the program’s inception, FirstEnergy has hired nearly 1,500 line and substation personnel who completed PSI programs in Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

For information about the PSI program, call 1-800-829-6801, or go to www.firstenergycorp.com/psi.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAME DR. STEVE ROBINSON INTERIM PRESIDENT

Posted on June 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, June 6, 2017 – Owens Community College Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Steve Robinson to serve as Interim President. Dr. Robinson will formally assume the Interim President position on July 1, 2017, following Dr. Mike Bower’s retirement on June 30. Dr. Bower has served as President of the College since July, 2012.

Robinson has over 25 years of community college experience. He joined Owens in January, 2015, and currently serves as the College’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Robinson is active in the Northwest Ohio higher education and service communities. Following his selection to the Interim President position, Steve said:

“I am extremely honored to be selected as Interim President,” stated Robinson. “Dr. Bower has assembled an excellent team, and it will be a privilege to work with the dedicated faculty, staff, and administration of Owens Community College to help our students and our communities succeed.”

Prior to joining Owens Robinson served as Executive Dean of Planning, Research and Quality at Mott Community College in Flint, Mich. He earned a Ph.D. in English from Michigan State University and has decades of teaching experience at the community college and university levels. He is a graduate of the Harvard Management Development Program for college administration, and was recently named as one of 40 Aspen Presidential Fellows through the Aspen Community College Excellence Program at Stanford University.

Robinson is a member of the Toledo Rotary Club and represents the College on the Board of Regional Growth Partnership. He is also active in the Ohio Association of Community Colleges, and serves as the community college representative for Northwest Ohio to the Ohio Department of Education’s Guaranteed Transfer Steering Committee. Robinson’s focus has been on building community partnerships with the College, especially those that target completion, transfer, and regional employment. Under Robinson’s leadership, the College has created innovative dual enrollment programs with Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo, as well as training partnerships with Cherry Street Mission, Dana Corporation, and many other community partners.

The Board of Trustees is in the process of conducting a search to name a permanent President of Owens Community College.

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE WELCOMES TWO NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS

Posted on May 12th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 12, 2017 – Owens Community College recently welcomed Jason Johnson, plant manager at Dana Corporations new Toledo driveline plant and Deborah Knight, vice president of Thunderbird Enterprises as the newest members of the Board of Trustees.

“As Owens continues to move forward we welcome two exceptional community leaders to our Board of Trustees,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. “We look forward to their positive contribution.”

Johnson is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with a Master of Business Administration, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in International Business and Finance from Ohio University. He is the former chief financial officer of Dana’s largest division. In the automotive industry, he is a financial leader and an accomplished controller with more than 20 years of experience.

Knight is a graduate of the St. Vincent School of Nursing with a Registered Nursing degree; she also attended Lourdes University. She is currently on the Advisory Board of the W.W. Knight Preserve. She has also served on the Toledo Museum of Art Business Council, the Toledo Children’s Hospital Board, and the Lourdes University Board of Directors.

For more information about Owens, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES SCHOLARSHIP

Posted on May 8th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, May 8, 2017 – Owens Community College announced a new Board of Trustees Scholarship to replace the Academic Excellence Scholarship and the Academic Achievement Scholarship.

The new scholarship will award $1,000 per semester, for up to four consecutive semesters. Students enrolling at Owens in the fall semester immediately after graduating from a high school in the Owens legal district, and who have a high school GPA of 3.7 or above, will be eligible and must submit official high school transcripts on or after January 1 of their senior year to be considered.

In addition, students who meet one of the following qualifications may also apply for the scholarship:

A high school senior attending a high school located in the Owens legal district, who has a high school GPA of 3.0 – 3.69, demonstrates student motivation, and enrolls in the fall semester immediately following high school graduation.
A high school graduate, who has not been in high school for at least one year, or a GED recipient (applicants may not have attended Owens for at least one year); resides in the Owens legal district; demonstrates motivation through exceptional work or public/community service (including military service), academic performance, other demonstrated leadership, or other experience as related to a career path; and enrolls for the fall semester immediately following the award of the scholarship.

All recipients must meet the following criteria:

Apply for admission to Owens as a regular student
Pursue a degree or certificate with the intent to complete at Owens Community College
Maintain full-time enrollment at a minimum of twelve credit hours each semester
Maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average to continue eligibility for each semester at Owens, for a maximum of four total consecutive semesters (summer optional)

For more information regarding Owens’ scholarships, please visit www.owens.edu/financial_aid/scholarships.

696 GRADUATES PREPARE FOR OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPRING COMMENCEMENT

Posted on April 28th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 28, 2017 – 696 candidates for graduation, including 82 from the Findlay-area Campus, will receive their degrees during the 51^st annual Owens Community College Spring Commencement on Friday, May 5. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Health and Activities Center on the College’s Toledo-area Campus.

Owens’ commencement ceremony is free and open to the public. Owens is asking graduates to share their celebration photos and updates by including the hashtag #owensgrad in their social media posts.

Dan Rogers, president and chief executive officer of Cherry Street Mission, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Rogers grew up in Lorain County in Ohio and at an early age experienced the ill effects of generational poverty. Because of his childhood experiences, he decided to pursue a lifelong goal of challenging the systems that create cycles of poverty.

He studied psychology and theology at Mount Vernon College in Ohio, and after graduation went on to learn from and serve impoverished people groups globally. His travels and work experiences have included serving in the leper colonies of eastern India, the indigenous people of central Mexico and the extreme poor in the mountain regions of Jamaica.

A recipient of the 2009 Jefferson Award for Public Service and of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Entrepreneurial and Business Excellence Hall of Fame in 2014, Rogers is a consultant to nonprofits, and a Leadership Coach.

Currently, he is spearheading the development of Cherry Street’s Life Revitalization Center by facilitating social impact partnerships in order to establish a career and vocational school in central city Toledo. The Life Revitalization Center will aid in the reversal of poverty and end homelessness in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

Helen Dilworth of Sylvania, a social work concentration major graduating with Cum Laude honors, has been selected as the Owens class representative and will address the graduates during the ceremony.

Dilworth, 68, graduated high school in northern Kentucky in 1967 and even though Morehead State offered her a partial scholarship to study education, she was denied the opportunity to attend by her father because a woman under the age of 21 at that time needed her father or husband’s permission to sign a contract. Her father said no.

After graduating high school, Dilworth scored 98 percent on the Civil Service Exam and the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Cincinnati hired her as a secretary. Within a year, she was one of a handful of employees selected to go to Washington, D.C. and work at the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency, which collaborated with Keep America Beautiful and launched Earth Day. The national campaign was an immediate success, and Dilworth was in the middle of it, answering all of President Nixon’s correspondence and taking it to the White House for his signature.

“I met President Nixon and shook his hand. It was an interesting time. I did it for seven years.”

Dilworth enrolled at Owens in Fall Semester 2013 a few years after the death of her husband of 24 years, Robert. She quickly thrived. She was elected to the Phi Theta Kappa honors society, took part in the Honors Program and Honors Club and got a job in the Admissions office.

While visiting Toledo in the mid-1980s she met her future husband. They married and had a son, John. Helen read all of John’s textbooks during his school years to help quench her thirst for knowledge. John Dilworth is also an Owens graduate who went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo. He will earn a master’s degree from the University of Toledo May 6. Starting Fall Semester 2017, Helen Dilworth will enroll at the University of Toledo and begin work on a bachelor’s degree.

For more information regarding Owens’ commencement ceremony, please visit www.owens.edu/commencement.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNOUNCES RETURN TO ORIGINAL FIVE ATHLETIC TEAMS AT THE DIII LEVEL

Posted on April 27th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 27, 2017 – Owens Community College announced today the return of baseball and softball beginning in the fall of 2018 and the move from NJCAA division II (DII) to division III (DIII) for all athletic teams. This will bring the total number of athletic teams back to the original five, including, men’s and women’s basketball, and volleyball.

Baseball and softball were originally suspended along with men’s golf and men’s and women’s soccer during the 2016-2017 academic year as a cost savings measure during a period of fiscal recovery.

“This decision comes after several months of careful internal study by the College administration,” explained Mike Bower, Ph.D., president. “By moving from DII to DIII we are able to bring back softball and baseball, two of Owens’ original teams, and still realize a cost savings compared to the 2016 athletic program.”

In fiscal year 2016, the cost for the original five sports (including scholarships) at the DII level was $1,079,388.54. Three DII sports (men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball) for fiscal year 2018 will cost a total of $656,748.07. Beginning in fiscal year 2019, returning to the original five sports at a DIII level will cost $479,859.48.

Moving all athletic teams from DII to DIII will eliminate all athletic scholarships, a cost savings of $250,000.

“I would like to thank the Owens Administration for their decision to bring back Owens Express baseball and softball for the 2018-2019 season,” said J.D. Ettore, Owens athletic director. “From my perspective, by going DIII, Owens will be providing an excellent education for these student-athletes along with the chance for young men and young women to play a sport they love for a well-rounded college experience.”

For more information on Owens Community College athletics, please visit www.owensexpress.com.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE VP OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS SELECTED AS ONE OF ONLY 40 NATIONWIDE FOR 2017-2018 ASPEN PRESIDENTIAL FELLOWSHIP

Posted on April 20th, 2017

Highly-Selective Program Expanding Talent Pipeline Amid Looming Shortage of Community College Presidents and Critical Need to Improve Student Success

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 20, 2017 – Steve Robinson, Ph.D., vice president of Academic Affairs and chief academic officer, has been awarded the prestigious Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence, a highly selective leadership program aimed at developing a new cadre of outstanding leaders capable of transforming student success at community colleges across the U.S. The Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC, today announced that Robinson joins the 2017-2018 class of Aspen Presidential Fellows.

Robinson and the 39 other Aspen Presidential Fellows will embark on a year-long fellowship in July 2017. Delivered in collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative and top community college leaders, the program focuses on a new vision of leadership and aims to guide new and aspiring community college presidents to dramatically change student outcomes in four areas: learning, completion while in community college and of bachelor’s degrees after transfer, employment and earnings after graduation, and equitable access and success for underrepresented minority and low-income students.

According to the American Association of Community Colleges, 365 presidents left their posts over the past year. This staggering rate of turnover is happening at the same time that increasing numbers of students—including growing numbers of minority, low-income, and first-generation to college students—are flocking to community colleges to earn degrees that lead to good jobs.

Robinson was selected through a rigorous process that considered his abilities to take strategic risks, lead strong teams and cultivate partnerships, and focus on results-oriented improvements in student success and access.

The 2017-2018 Aspen Presidential Fellows hail from 24 states and 38 community colleges of varying sizes. For more information, visit: http://as.pn/1ky. The Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, College Futures Foundation, ECMC Foundation, Greater Texas Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation.

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS’ ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS TWO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on April 17th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 16, 2017 – Owens’ Alumni Association has chosen Austin Robinson to receive the 10^th Annual Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship and Josh Ellis to receive the 3^rd Annual Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship.

In tribute to and appreciation for the memory, life and heroism of Detective Keith Dressel, the Owens Community College Alumni Association established the Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Endowment Scholarship in 2007.

The Scholarship is awarded annually to an Owens student who has the courage to become a police officer and embodies the passion, conviction and perseverance demonstrated by Detective Dressel during his career.

Austin Robinson, this year’s recipient of the Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship, is currently a full-time student working on a criminal justice technology degree.

In high school, Mr. Robinson joined International Club, took honors mathematics and sciences all four years as well as honors band and Spanish. He was active in band, and volunteered with Partners for Clean Streams.

In honor of and gratitude for the remembrances, lives and heroism of Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman, the Owens Community College Alumni Association established the Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Endowment Scholarship in 2014.

The Scholarship is awarded annually to an Owens student who has the passion to become a firefighter and embodies the courage, beliefs and determination demonstrated by Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman during their careers.

Josh Ellis, this year’s recipient of the Private Stephen Machcinski and Private James Dickman Memorial Scholarship, is currently a full-time Owens student working on his emergency services technology degree. His future plan is to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Fire Department Administration.

Ellis has been an active community volunteer. He has been involved in the ”Be a Hero for Autism” collection, during the Toledo Water Crisis he spent several days distributing clean water to those affected, and assisted with fire prevention projects. Through his work with the Oregon Fire Explorers he found employment with the Oregon Fire & Rescue Department as a Firefighter/EMT recruit.

OWENS APPOINTS LISA NAGEL AND LAURIE ORZECHOWSKI TO PERMANENT POSITIONS

Posted on April 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 6, 2017 – Owens Community College has appointed Lisa L. Nagel, J.D., to the position of general counsel and vice president, administration and Laurie Orzechowski to the position of chief information officer.

Nagel will now be permanently responsible for all operations of legal services, human resources, labor relations, and public safety. Previously, she served as general counsel and interim vice president, human resources.

Prior to joining Owens, Nagel served as law director for the City of Napoleon. In that position, she provided leadership for all legal-related decision making and advice for the City, the Mayor and seven City Council members.

Nagel earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Toledo, College of Law.

Orzechowski will now be permanently responsible for all operations of Information Technology. She has served as interim chief information officer since Dec. 2016.

Previously, she served as director of enterprise application systems. In that position, she helped implement DegreeWorks, a comprehensive, easy-to-use, web-based academic advising and degree audit tool, as well as the conversion to Banner, a comprehensive computer information system that contains information on courses, students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Orzechowski earned both her Bachelor of Science degree and her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio.

For more information about Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT MIKE BOWER ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION PLANS

Posted on April 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 4, 2017 – Dr. Bower, the sixth president in the 52-year history of Owens Community College, has announced his resignation effective June 30, 2017 at the conclusion of his current contract.

With the support of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Bower stated, “I feel I have accomplished all that I set out to do for Owens during my five-year term. I have had the opportunity to structure a remarkable senior team and as a team we have successfully addressed many student and community initiatives, including the College’s fiscal recovery.”

“It is with mixed emotions that we accepted Dr. Bower’s resignation,” said Dee Talmage, Owens trustee board chair. “President Bower’s philosophy is ‘to leave a job when you still love it.’ We know how much he loves Owens Community College, and we are thankful for his guidance and his leadership.”

Previously, Dr. Bower served as the President of Lake Region State College, which is a student-centered, open access comprehensive community college within the North Dakota University System. He has served as an administrator at Mott Community College, Michigan; Chippewa Valley Technical College, Wisconsin; Central Community College, Nebraska; and as faculty and program chair at Ivy Tech State College, Indiana. Prior to his career in higher education, he was employed at Ford Motor Company and Thomson Consumer Electronics. He is a veteran and was honorably discharged from the United States Army.

Dr. Bower earned an Associate Degree of Applied Science in automotive technology from Vincennes University, Indiana, his Bachelor of Science in industrial technology from Indiana State University, his Master of Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University, and his Doctorate of Philosophy Degree in Education, Administration, Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Educational Leadership and Higher Education from the University of Nebraska.

For more information on Owens, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS RELEASED FROM FISCAL WATCH BY OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION CHANCELLOR

Posted on April 4th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, April 4, 2017 – Leaders of Owens Community College informed the Campus community today that the College has officially been released from fiscal watch by the Chancellor John Carey after achieving a Senate Bill 6 (SB6) composite score of 3.0 for fiscal year 2016.

Additionally, the State Auditor’s Office confirmed the remediation of the conditions that led to the fiscal watch, which included improvements to the budget, purchasing and payroll processes, and the implementation of regular financial reporting and long-range financial projections.

The College was placed in fiscal watch April 21, 2015 due to receiving a composite score of 1.10 in 2013 and a score of 1.0 in 2014. A college is placed in fiscal watch if it receives a SB6 composite score of 1.75 or lower for two consecutive years in the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s financial ratio analysis.

The college developed a financial recovery plan that was approved by the board of trustees on July 15, 2015 and was submitted to the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

“We have regulated our finances by living within a budget that aligns revenue with expenditures, based on conservative enrollment targets, “said Jeff Ganues, vice president, business affairs/chief financial officer. “We operate very efficiently, which is the key to the College’s stability, as our main revenue source is limited to the State Share of Instruction and tuition revenue.”

The College took a number of actions toward gaining fiscal recovery, including:

Stabilizing net assets position and financial indicators through aligning projected revenue with operational expenses and implementing prudent financial oversight, controls and cost-saving measures
Evolving organizational capacity through a systemic focus of meeting the needs of students, employers and employees, fostering communication and accountability
Strengthening connections to prospective students through marketing, linking academic programs with careers and jobs, promoting opportunities for earning college credit toward a degree and supporting key services that enhance student retention, transfer and completion
Adapting, developing and aligning quality academic programs and educational delivery with labor market needs and job opportunities while fostering student learning, assessment and completion through strategic planning, efficiencies, partnerships and pathways

“We are pleased with the concentrated effort put forth by Owens Community College to address its financial situation and get on the path to fiscal recovery,” said Chancellor Carey. “The release of the college from fiscal watch status is the result of diligence and hard work. We look forward to seeing Owens continue on this path.”

“Going forward, financial diligence is very important. We are still concerned with factors not within the College’s control – such as limits to state funding and declining enrollment trends,” stated President Mike Bower, Ph.D. “We must continue to control expenditures and build the reserves.”

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS RECEIVES $10,000 GRANT FROM OHIO HUMANITIES

Posted on March 28th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 28, 2017 – Owens Community College recently received a $10,000 grant from Ohio Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, to create a Chautauqua Performance Program under the tutelage of Jeremy Meier, associate professor, Fine and Performing Arts.

A Chautauqua performance is an historical improvisation in which a performer impersonates a historical figure. The program seeks to foster a deep understanding of prominent American historical figures from the early 20th century as well as the events and innovations that affected the lives of those people.

Community members and Owens alumni wrote proposals for developing original solo performances based on historical figures from the early 20th Century in January. Four scholars were selected for the training including Caleb Hall (Nikola Tesla), Justin McDanel (John Barrymore), Natalie Phelps (Amelia Earhart) and Drew Young (Henry Ford).

Under direction of Owens Associate Professor of Theatre, Jeremy Meier, the scholars have begun researching the historical figures and developing original one-person performances. Meier has developed and toured Chautauqua performances on John Dillinger and Oliver Hazard Perry for the Ohio Humanities.

In addition, three drama students at Rossford high school have been selected to develop short form presentations on local historical characters.

The program will culminate in a showcase of performances July 19-23, at the Veterans Park & Marina along the banks of the Maumee River. The event titled, “Seeds of Change: America in the Early 20^th Century,” will feature a keynote performance of ‘Gone With the Wind’ author Margaret Mitchell by Chautauqua veteran Debra Conner. Other characters include Henry Ford, Amelia Earhart, John Barrymore and Nikola Tesla. Rossford High School students will portray influential figures from local NW Ohio history including Edward Ford, Florence Scott Libbey and Samuel ‘Golden Rule’ Jones.

For more information about Owens Fine and Performing Arts program, please visit www.owens.edu/fpa.

UT, Owens Community College create Rocket Express Dual Admission Program

Posted on March 15th, 2017

The presidents of The University of Toledo and Owens Community College will sign a dual-admission partnership called Rocket Express 1 p.m. Thursday, March 16 in Libbey Hall on UT Main Campus.

Rocket Express is designed to provide a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree from UT starting at Owens Community College.

“The new Rocket Express program is a wonderful opportunity for students to save time and money,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “We are proud to strengthen our relationship with Owens Community College to help students succeed and achieve the dream of earning a degree. This program will ensure a smooth, more efficient transition from Owens to UT and further contribute to helping the region.”

Students apply once for dual admission, work to complete their program of study at Owens and then transition to UT with help along the way from both Owens and UT student and academic services.

New and continuing Owens students who meet qualifications can apply to take advantage of the program that guarantees admission to UT and charts a course to a four-year degree. With the help of a transfer specialist, this option allows students to save time by only taking classes that count toward their specific degree.

“The seamless process of the Rocket Express program effectively removes any potential barriers that could hinder students from transferring from Owens to UT,” said Owens President Mike Bower. “The goal of both institutions is student success by offering programs that allow them to earn a degree and enter the workforce as smoothly as possible.”

Students can apply starting March 16 to enroll for the summer and fall semesters.

Currently, approximately 350 students a year transfer to UT after starting at Owens.

For more information, go to utoledo.edu/admission/rocket-express.

OWENS MUSIC BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS NOMINATED FOR NATIONAL AWARD

Posted on March 1st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, March 1, 2017 – Two Owens Community College Music Business Technology students have been nominated for a national award for their work at the College’s new Internet radio station, OCCR.

David Brehm of Findlay and Herbey Atkinson of Blissfield, Michigan are finalists in the Best Artist/Band Interview category and will attend the 77^th Annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) awards March 4 in New York City. The awards are part of the three-day IBS conference March 3-5 at the Hotel Pennsylvania that accompanies the ceremony.

Brehm and Atkinson were nominated for their interview of the Tony Godsey Band of Bowling Green, Ohio. Both are Music Business Technology majors. Brehm will graduate in May, while Atkinson will graduate in December.

Owens Community College Radio (OCCR) is a student-run station that operates in the Music Business Technology Program in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. The station serves the College community by broadcasting a diverse platform represented by the first letters of Owens – Opportunities, Work, Entertainment, News and Sports. Launched in March 2016, OCCR is available on SmartPhone Apps for Android and iOS or online at www.owens.edu/fpa/owensradio.

The Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Trophy Awards honor excellence in programming, air personalities, public service efforts and outstanding stations in school, college radio, TV and webcasting. IBS is a not for profit educational association and foundation that was founded in 1940.

For more information on Owens or the Music Business Technology program, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO HOST GREEN INDUSTRY CAREER AND JOB FAIR

Posted on February 24th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2017 – Area residents and students with career aspirations in a green industry-related field are invited to learn about and explore various seasonal employment opportunities available throughout the region as Owens Community College hosts a Green Industry Career and Job Fair on Wednesday, March 1.

The Green Industry Career and Job Fair will take place from 3-4 p.m. in the College’s Audio/Visual Classroom Center Rooms 125-128 on the Toledo-area Campus. Owens is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township. Admission to the event is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

Throughout the event, individuals can meet with local green industry representatives and ask them questions about their professions or how to go about choosing a career path in the green industry field. In addition, attendees will be able to fill out applications for various seasonal employment opportunities.

Owens students and area residents attending the event are encouraged to bring several copies of their resume and to dress professionally in preparation for any impromptu interviews.

Area employers within such areas as landscape, golf course, small-scale farm, gardens/arboretums and garden centers will be in attendance. Employers will be looking to hire employees for the upcoming 2017 season.

In addition, Owens will have information available for individuals interested in pursuing a college education. Owens offers a wide variety of academic programs through the College’s Department of Science specific to the natural sciences areas of Landscape and Turfgrass Management.

For more information about the Green Industry Career and Job Fair, call (567) 661-7623 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7623.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES NAMED TO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Posted on February 22nd, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 22, 2017 – Owens Community College has named Diana H. (Dee) Talmage and Mary Beth Hammond to serve as the chair and vice chair for the College’s board of trustees. Talmage and Hammond were elected to their positions by their fellow colleagues during a recent Owens board of trustees meeting and will serve one-year terms.

“I am honored to serve as chair of the Owens Community College board of trustees. I consider it a privilege to lead such a fine organization,” said Talmage. “I truly love Owens; the people who work here, the students and the board members with whom I spend much of my time.”

Initially appointed in Nov. 2002, Talmage, a retired educator and former school board member, has held several leadership positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. Her professional and community involvement includes membership with the American Red Cross, the Toledo Hospital Foundation and TARTA. An Ottawa Hills resident, Talmage received her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Toledo and a bachelor’s degree in education from The Ohio State University. Additionally, Talmage serves as a board member on the Owens Community College Foundation.

Hammond was appointed to the board of trustees in Dec. 2013. She currently serves as vice president, senior private banker at Fifth Third Bank in Findlay and has more than 30-years of financial experience. As an active community member, she serves on many boards including The Arts Partnership of Greater Hancock County and was a member of the United Way Campaign Cabinet chairing the FIRE Division this year. She is also a past president of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce.

“I am delighted to be serving the board of trustees as the vice chair. I believe Community Colleges serve a vital part of our communities and Owens is certainly a leader not only in Northwest Ohio but in the state,” stated Hammond.

The College’s board of trustees is currently comprised of seven community leaders from Lucas, Wood and Hancock Counties who are appointed by the Governor of Ohio for six-year terms.

In addition to Talmage and Hammond, board members include Dr. Srini Hejeebu of Sylvania, Michael McAlear of Perrysburg, Dr. Ronald McMaster of Perrysburg, Edwin J. Nagle of Perrysburg and Richard Rowe Jr. of Findlay.

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

OWENS APPOINTS JEFF GANUES VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Posted on February 21st, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 – Owens Community College has appointed Jeff Ganues, CPA, as vice president, Business Affairs/chief financial officer, pending Board of Trustee approval. This key administrative position is responsible for direct and strategic leadership in the areas of finance and accounting, budget, payroll, facilities and information technology. The vice president/chief financial officer will ensure that business transactions and support services meet the College’s short- and long-term objectives and goals.

“I’m extremely excited to move into this new position,” said Ganues. “I look forward to collaborating with various departments across campus to continue to development enrollment targets and to align revenue and expenditures that continue to move Owens forward.”

Since April 2016, Ganues has served as the College’s controller. In this position, he implemented internal accounting controls, reconciled balance sheet accounts, initiated campus-wide Banner Self-Service training, and received an unmodified opinion on the annual audit.

Prior to his work at Owens, Ganues served as grants accountant, assistant controller and finally director of finance/controller for Lourdes University. He also served as assistant auditor for the Auditor of State’s Office. He has five years of experience in higher education and is a certified public accountant.

“We are thrilled to have Jeff Ganues transition into the position of vice president Business Affairs/chief financial officer,” said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president Owens Community College. “Jeff not only has an extensive background in finance but over the past year has become an integral part of the business affairs office and helped to strategically align College finances.”

Ganues earned his bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting and his master of science degree in accounting from Kent State University.

GLENN RETTIG CHOSEN AS CHAIR-ELECT TO THE ATMAE BOARD OF ACCREDITATION

Posted on February 9th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 9, 2017 – Glenn Rettig, dean, School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics was recently named as chair-elect to the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) board of accreditation.

He is the first community college dean to hold this position and will assume the chair duties and conduct the next ATMAE board of accreditation hearings and business meeting in Cincinnati in early Nov. 2017.

“It is a great honor and privilege to be picked by my peers from across the U.S. to lead the ATMAE accreditation board,” said Rettig. “I never would have imagined that I would be elected to represent a program accreditation body that has oversight of colleges and universities that include Owens Community College, Purdue, California Polytechnic State University and many more.”

Rettig, a Findlay-area resident, has been a member of the ATMAE for 14-years and has been part of the accreditation board for nine-years. He began his career at Owens as an adjunct professor on the Findlay-area campus in 1990.

The ATMAE board of accreditation meets yearly during the ATMAE conference to review the accreditation status of the universities and colleges that receive their program accreditation from ATMAE. There are more than 115 colleges and universities across the U.S. that seek their accreditation from ATMAE. The ATMAE, which was formerly known as the National Association of Industrial Technologies (NAIT), will be celebrating its 50^th year at the November 2017 conference.

OWENS AWARDED $49,500 CAREER READY INTERNSHIP GRANT FROM GREAT LAKES

Posted on February 8th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 8, 2017 – Owens Community College has been awarded a two-year, $49,500 Career Ready Internship Grant from Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates. An anticipated 25 new paid internships will be created during the 2017-2018 academic year.

“Paid internships benefit students, colleges and employers,” said Richard D. George, Great Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer. “Students gain meaningful workplace skills and are more likely to earn degrees and use their internship experiences to help secure good jobs upon graduation. Colleges will see increased completion and job placement rates, and employers gain a pipeline to fresh talent. It’s a win-win-win.”

Owens is one of 16 two-year institutions across Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin that received a combined $2.1 million to create over 1,000 internships. Owens will collaborate with businesses and nonprofit organizations to provide the greatest number of current and future students with an educational opportunity they might not otherwise have.

“With this two-year Career Ready Internship grant, students who otherwise would be unable to participate in unpaid off-campus internships due to financial need, work schedules and family commitments, will now have that opportunity,” said Krista Kiessling, director, Owens’ Center for Experiential and Community Engaged learning.

Owens will spend the spring and summer of 2017 on administrative planning, employer outreach, and student recruitment, and will begin placing students in paid internships in September 2017. The Great Lakes grant period continues through May 2018.

GOVERNOR KASICH REAPPOINTS NAGLE AND ROWE TO OWENS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Posted on February 6th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2017 – On Friday, Governor John R. Kasich announced the reappointment of Edwin J. Nagle of Perrysburg (Wood Co.) and H. Richard Rowe, Jr. of Findlay (Hancock Co.) to the Owens State Community College board of trustees for terms beginning February 3, 2017 and ending September 21, 2022.

Nagle and Rowe were initially appointed to the College’s board of trustees in June 2012 and April 2004, respectively.

The College’s Board of Trustees is currently comprised of seven community leaders from Lucas, Wood and Hancock counties who are appointed by the Governor of Ohio for six-year terms.

In addition to Nagle and Rowe, Owens Board of Trustees members include Mary Beth Hammond of Findlay, Dr. Srini Hejeebu of Sylvania, Michael McAlear of Perrysburg, Dr. Ronald McMaster of Perrysburg and Diana H. (Dee) Talmage of Toledo.

For more information on Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.

CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES DURING ANNUAL GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY AT OWENS

Posted on January 30th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 30, 2017 – Owens’ Dental Hygiene program, in collaboration with the Toledo Dental Society, will be offering a day of free dental services for children ages six months to 18 years with limited or no access to care. The event will take place Friday, Feb. 3, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. at the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic located on the second floor of the Health Technologies Hall on the Toledo-area Campus.

Give Kids A Smile Day is a national initiative by the American Dental Association, dedicated to focusing attention on the epidemic of untreated oral disease among disadvantaged children. Held each February in conjunction with National Children’s Dental Health Month, Give Kids A Smile Day provides free oral health education, screening and treatment services to children from low-income families across the country.

“Owens Community College’s Dental Hygiene program is excited to once again participate in such a worthwhile endeavor and provide dental services to individuals in need,” said Beth Tronolone, Owens chair of Dental Hygiene. “Give Kids A Smile Day is also a wonderful opportunity to raise the importance and awareness of preventive dental care such as flossing, brushing and regular dental visits. Our goal is give each attendee a positive dental experience and help them feel comfortable smiling again.”

Owens Dental Hygiene second-year students, faculty and alumni, and area dentists will be conducting dental services, which will include dental education and screening, X-rays, oral prophylaxis (cleanings), limited restorations and dental sealants. In addition, first-year students from the health programs will provide educational presentations for parents and children.

Owens’ program also offers dental services to area residents through its Dental Hygiene Clinic. The 20-chair clinic is staffed by dental hygiene students and supervised by licensed dental professionals at Owens, and appointments are available during the Fall and Spring semesters for a $30 fee.

Individuals interested in receiving free dental service are encouraged to contact the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic at (567) 661-7294 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7294. Appointment reservations must be made prior to the event.

OWENS EXCEEDS ENROLLMENT TARGET FOR SPRING

Posted on January 25th, 2017

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP, Ohio, Jan. 25, 2017 – Owens Community College announced yesterday that the combined enrollment for the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Downtown Learning Center, was 9,196 students. This number reflects a 101 percent attainment of the College’s strategic enrollment target goal for spring semester.

This target was developed more than a year ago, taking into account high school completion rate data, unemployment figures, and other enrollment trends. The development process is a collaborative effort by various college stakeholder groups, including student services, academic affairs, business affairs, and institutional research.

The College’s 2016-2017 budget was built taking into account these targets.

Looking more closely at enrollment by student type, the College exceeded targets for both guest and transient categories and reached 99 percent of its goal for continuing students, the largest student type.

“We take a great deal of pride in helping our students accomplish their academic goals on their path to a career or additional education, so keeping every student who starts with the College here until they complete their degree or certificate is critical to our mission,” said Amy Giordano, vice president of Student Services.

For more information about Owens Community College, please visit www.owens.edu.