Owens names new president

Dione Somerville, Ed.D., has been named the eighth president of Owens Community College. The board of trustees announced the selection of Somerville following Wednesday's board meeting. Somerville is scheduled to start June 15. "It is with great pleasure that we welcome Dr. Dione Somerville to Owens Community College as its eighth president," Mary Beth Hammond, chair of the Owens Board of Trustees, said a press release. "We look forward to Dr. Somerville's involvement with our students, faculty, staff, community and board of trustees. The board is confident that with her leadership, the college will continue to grow and thrive in northwest Ohio as a strong community partner while helping our students be prepared for successful and rewarding careers in the surrounding communities." Somerville began her 27-year career in higher education as the assistant director of campus programming at Ursuline College, before taking leadership positions at Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, Lorain County Community College, Iowa State University, Bloomsburg University and Hawkeye Community College. Her most recent position was as executive vice president at Hawkeye Community College. "I am truly honored and humbled to be selected as president of Owens Community College," Somerville said in the release. "I value Owens' legacy as an institution that creates opportunity for its students and greater community and will strive to further that tradition. I look forward to working in partnership with the students, faculty, staff, board of trustees, and the community to continue Owens' forward momentum." Somerville earned a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania, a master's degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University, and a bachelor's degree in English/writing from Ohio Northern University. She was a fellow at the Association of Governing Boards Institute for Leadership and Governance in its inaugural year. She also participated in the Harvard University Institute for Education Management and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Millennium Leadership Institute. She has been active in her local community, having served on the Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital Community Advisory Board, the City of Ames Student Affairs Commission, and Ames Police Community Relations Advisory Committee. William Balzer, Ph.D., has been interim president for the past year, since previous president Steve Robinson left Owens to become president of Lansing Community College in Michigan.