President's Blog

40 Years Serving Findlay

Owens Community College’s remarkable history in Flag City USA began in downtown Findlay at the corner of Cory and Davis streets next to the University of Findlay in 1983. That year, our first campus opened with 201 students, and two years later we graduated our first 15 students.

Over the next 20 years, as Findlay grew into an increasingly vibrant city with a diverse economy, we grew alongside, expanding our programming and investing in our campus. In 2005 we opened the current Findlay Campus on Bright Road. Today we offer more than 20 degrees and certificates in Findlay, including the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with seamless transfer to regional universities, including the University of Findlay.

In addition to the accessible, quality education we provide, there is so much about our Findlay Campus that we are proud of, including

• our five-star Child Care Center;
• our certification as a Bee Campus USA (first in the State of Ohio);
• our having served as a Red Cross Disaster Relief Point during the historic Blanchard River flood of 2007; and
• the addition of our Physical Therapist Assistant program last year, which already has a second student cohort.

We are most proud of the 5,012 students who have graduated from our Findlay Campus since that first class in 1985.

Partners in our Success

Findlay plays a prominent role in Northwest Ohio, and is known for its commitment to economic development and collaboration with business, public and nonprofit sectors. Owens is also a driver of economic and workforce development, and so our deep partnerships within the Findlay community are incredibly important.

One of our most important partnerships is the Center to Advance Manufacturing, a collaboration between Owens, the University of Findlay and Bowling Green State University. The purpose of the Center is to be the crucial conduit between industry, higher education, and economic development. This year we are working with the Center to expand our training opportunities in truck driving and in the solar industry. As the Center’s presence evolves, Owens and our partners will collaborate with industry and create partnerships that allow manufacturers to tackle their biggest obstacles, including changes in workforce, policy, supply chain, operations, and energy.

Last year clinical site access for Owens students was expanded with Blanchard Valley Health System. This partnership gave more School of Nursing and Health Professions students supervised access to direct patient care to provide clinical training and experience, giving them access to real-world patient care. Blanchard Valley also opened up more spots for last semester students to complete their preceptorships, which pair students as novices with experienced clinicians. These relationships benefit students and the Health System, as students get a real experience of what it is like to work at Blanchard Valley.

Our partnerships extend to our elected officials as well. For example, in February we were proud to host U.S. Congressman Bob Latta at our Findlay Campus for a Workforce Roundtable, where we brought together industry leaders to discuss the challenges they face in the workforce, especially concerning retaining employees. Last month our executive director of the Center to Advance Manufacturing Tim Mayle also facilitated a business roundtable in Findlay with education stakeholders and regional legislators about the importance of supporting manufacturers in our region.

As we celebrate 40 years of serving Findlay this year, we want to continue to grow our presence, and we can use your help. We have to have alignment between what students are interested in and what the industry needs. If you have ideas, you can help us find that alignment. Please reach out to our Findlay Campus Dean Brad Wood and to my office with your ideas – our contact information is below. We want to meet the needs of the community and of our students, and we look forward to your ideas.

Dione D. Somerville, Ed.D.
President