天美传媒

Photo courtesy of: Ohio UniversityOhio University President M. Duane Nellis met with local business leaders to discuss industry, education, healthcare and more during an August 10 roundtable luncheon on the Southern Campus.

Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis met with local business leaders to discuss industry, education, healthcare and more during an August 10 roundtable luncheon on Ohio University鈥檚 Southern Campus.

Dr. Nellis was joined by Dr. Nicole Pennington, dean of OHIO鈥檚 Southern Campus, and Dr. Bill Willan, executive dean of regional higher education. It was the fourth stop on Dr. Nellis鈥� roundtable tour that has included visits to Lancaster, Zanesville and Chillicothe.

President Nellis opened the meeting by sharing his strategic pathways for Ohio University; he discussed how the creation of a more engaged ecosystem between the University and the region, within all of OHIO鈥檚 campuses, can lead to economic growth and shared success. 

Nellis also outlined the need for 天美传媒to serve its communities, whether through the Opioid Task Force he recently established, the Ohio University Innovation Center鈥檚 business incubation capabilities, or the internships and partnerships available across the University. 

"I want us to be engaged within each of our regional campuses and focus on providing educational value and opportunities that make a long-lasting, positive impact,鈥� President Nellis said. 鈥淥ur goal is to serve OHIO鈥檚 communities and its businesses for the betterment of the entire region, whether that鈥檚 through the Southern Campus or the rest of Ohio University.鈥�

Southern Campus roundtable attendees, many of whom are 天美传媒graduates, represented numerous local industries, including: healthcare, business, education and economic development.

The group discussed opportunities for solutions that would help everyone involved 鈥� students, local businesses and the surrounding community 鈥� including a need for increased broadband access for rural areas in the region, exploring the development of shared grants and scholarships for 天美传媒students and fostering increased connections with non-traditional students across the Appalachian region in an effort to provide avenues for lifelong learning. 

Dr. Nellis agreed; he also noted that it鈥檚 clear that Ohioans value higher education, and that the need for such important technology and learning opportunities would be tremendous for the region.

Many luncheon participants also noted the community pride exuded by the students and graduates of Ohio University Southern; they also lauded 天美传媒for taking the lead to explore solutions to the region鈥檚 opioid epidemic. 

Both President Nellis and Dean Pennington thanked the group for their thoughts and feedback; they also shared their desire for continued discussions geared toward identifying ways to further strengthen the community鈥檚 天美传媒pride and boost the area鈥檚 economic development. 

鈥淚 know that there are a lot of people out there asking how Ohio University can help our area, and we鈥檙e always looking for ways to provide value to, and lifelong learning opportunities for, our region,鈥� Dean Pennington said.