Owens Community College

Owens State Community College is a comprehensive community college with campuses in Toledo and Findlay, Ohio. Owens was founded in 1965 in Toledo, and was chartered in 1967. The Findlay campus was opened in 1983.

Owens's district includes Lucas, Wood, and Hancock counties, as well as parts of Ottawa and Sandusky counties.

Findlay received a new campus in the Fall of 2005.

Campus
The Owens State Community College Toledo-area campus covers more than 280 acres and is located near Toledo, Ohio. The new 60-acre Findlay-area campus is on Findlay, Ohio's northeast side.

The college itself was named for Michael J. Owens, a well known glass entrepreneur in the early 1900's.

Staff
Senior Administration

Dr. Christa Adams, President

Dr. Paul Unger, Executive Vice President/Provost

Ms. Judy Ennis, Executive Dean, Findlay-area Campus

Dr. William Ivoska, Vice President, Student Services

Mr. Charles Mann, Senior Vice President, Business Affairs

Mr. Brian Paskvan, Vice President for Administration

Department Deans

Dr. Renay Scott, School of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Myrna DeAustria, School of Business and Information Technology

Janell Lang, School of Health Sciences

Mark Durivage, School of Technology

Dr. Jim Perry, Co-Interim Dean, Natural Sciences Technologies, School of Arts and Sciences

Shelby Pierce, Co-Interim Dean, Natural Sciences Technologies, School of Arts and Sciences

Center for Emergency Preparedness
In April 2004, Owens broke ground on its high-tech Center for Emergency Preparedness, to expand practical training opportunities at the College.

The Center will provide full-size, training preparation for first responders to practice rescue and recovery maneuvers in a controlled environment. Upon completion the facility will include a burn building, an emergency operations center with classrooms and laboratories, and observation tower, a swift water rescue pond, a mock city and a variety of other simulation scenarios. First responders will also gain experience utilizing an inactive gas station training prop, three railroad cars and more.

The center will allow area fire, police, fire responders and other emergency personal to conduct exercises via distance learning, on a variety of simulated terror incidents emergency hazards and natural disasters.

Partnerships
Owens collaborates with a number of local businesses. One example is a partnership between Owens and the Medical University of Ohio. The two academic institutions expanded educational opportunities in 2005 by establishing a joint Emergency Medical Services Certificate Program and offering Owens’ first-ever courses on the Medical University of Ohio’s campus in Lucas County.

Owens also continues to cultivate relationships with colleges and universities across the United States through transfer articulation agreements. These initiatives benefit the Owens students who transfer to these four-year colleges and universities. A partnership with the Ohio Fire Academy even allows its students to earn Owens college credit via distance learning opportunities.

Owens teams up with primary and secondary educational institutions by offering the Tech Prep Program and the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option Program.

In 2005, Owens served more than 400 companies in business and industry partnerships and serviced over 18,000 individuals in workforce development and training. Through Workforce and Community Services, Owens broadened its presence in Lima, Ohio, by way of a partnership with Ford Motor Company’s Lima Engine Plant. Owens employs two full-time and two part-time instructors at the Lima site to teach employees GED, college prep and computers courses as part of Ford’s Skills Enhancement Program.

Owens Workforce and Community Services also provided avenues to partner with such organizations as the Associated General Contractors of Ohio to work with unions on safety and apprenticeship training, and Promedica Health System to offer computer training for its employees in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

In early 2006, Owens announced its partnership with 3M. The multimillion dollar deal will bring advanced products to the school and students will begin testing prototypes during credit hours.

Another notable 2005 partnership included collaboration with DaimlerChrysler’s Jeep Plant in Toledo to offer on-site credit and non-credit courses to help employees obtain a two-year degree and prepare for the challenges of the 21st century.