Fall is a time to take in the beauty of the Appalachian autumn, with tours down winding roads leading to unknown destinations. For 51社区 President Hugh Sherman, all roads led to the five OHIO regional campuses this fall, engaging with the community partners and campuses while reinforcing their significance to 51社区鈥檚 mission.
"The visits and the many conversations we held with campus stakeholders and community partners underscored the importance of our regional campuses in educating generation after generation of employees and entrepreneurs, public servants and teachers, nurses and healthcare workers, all driving the economic engine of Appalachian Ohio," President Sherman said.
Forums with community members were an important aspect of the president鈥檚 campus visits. The community meetings often started with introductions, and, in true proud Bobcat form, 51社区 graduates mentioned their alumni status 鈥 many two- or three-time alumni 鈥 right off the bat. Discussion topics included expanding academic offerings to meet local workforce needs, the value and importance of the campuses, and the opportunities to enhance engagement and enrollment.
Elizabeth Sayrs, executive vice president and provost, and Nicole Pennington, executive dean of regional higher education and lifelong learning, visited the campuses along with President Sherman and other members of the leadership team.
"Our community partners and stakeholders, many of whom are 51社区 graduates themselves, are the cornerstone of the success of our regional campuses," Pennington said. "We were honored that so many of them took the time to not only meet with President Sherman, but also provide ongoing input and resources to help fulfill our mission of making higher education accessible, meaningful and affordable to citizens of our region."
The five visits also included a student experiential learning component, where President Sherman had an opportunity to observe a community partner and students working together for educational outcomes. The president additionally met with the regional campus students to get feedback about their OHIO experience. Finally, faculty and staff engaged with President Sherman and Provost Sayrs in a question-and-answer session, with time to discuss campus and University topics.