V.P. for student engagement and success is announced

Areena Arora, Managing Editor

In an email addressed to the Ohio Wesleyan community on April 29, President Rock Jones announced Dwayne Todd has been hired as the new vice president for student engagement and success, beginning this summer.

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Todd currently serves as the vice president for student affairs at Columbus College of Arts and Design. He has been in that position since 2001.

According to a press release by Cole Hatcher, director of media and community relations, Todd earned his doctorate in higher education administration from the Ohio State University, master of divinity from Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and bachelor of music from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.

Todd said, “I have wanted to return to a small residential liberal arts college setting for a long time.  What specifically drew me to OWU is the deep passion for learning, the strong sense of community, and the sincere commitment of the institution to provide transformative experiences for students.”

He will join the university this summer and report to Jones, who said the breadth and depth of Todd’s 21-year higher education career will benefit OWU’s ongoing work to provide a premier liberal arts experience, according to the press release.

In November 2015, a search committee was announced with the charge of searching for a new leader of student affairs for the university, chaired by Vicki DiLillo, professor of psychology.

DiLillo is quoted in the press release saying, “Dwayne’s clear commitment to the provision of a student-centered experience guides his implementation of creative initiatives that foster a sense of community for the students he serves.”