FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 10, 2019
Contact: Jack Hershey or Tom Walsh
COLUMBUS, OH – Community college leaders and trustees will meet this week at Columbus State Community College for the Ohio Association of Community College’s annual meeting.
Meetings and sessions will be held Wednesday and Thursday and will feature experts in technology, finance and governance. Sessions will include how to improve workforce outcomes, student success and mentoring.
“Community colleges know that we are on the frontlines of Ohio’s efforts to fill in-demand jobs and that will certainly be the top conversation this week as our college trustees, presidents and their leadership teams convene in Columbus,” said Jack Hershey, President and CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges.
The meeting will, for the first time, include a trustee town hall for trustees to meet and discuss topics and issues of concern across multiple campuses.
Josh Wyner, vice president of the Aspen Institute, a national nonprofit think tank, will be the keynote speaker on Wednesday. The organization has a history of supporting community colleges through its College Excellence Program. The $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, which focuses on student success, is awarded every two years. It is considered the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges.
Sarah Zauner, founder of The Ada Center in Boulder, Colorado, will give a keynote speech on Thursday. Zauner founded the center in 2017 in response to a growing number of college leaders looking for guidance on technology issues. She will discuss technology solutions to increase retention and graduation rates.
Other speakers include Mike Abrams, president and CEO of the Ohio Hospital Association, Randy Gardner, Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Education, and leaders of several community colleges.