Ohio University President, Duane Nellis, paid a visit to the Ohio University-Chillicothe campus on Wednesday to hold a roundtable discussion with area business leaders to develop ways they and OU can further the educational opportunities of it's students, while enhancing its relationship with the local business community.
"We'd like to continue to build new internship opportunities and partner with businesses to enhance what they're doing and better serve them," said Nellis. "It's an important part of truly being an engaged partner of Ohio University as we look to the future of the region and the local community."
Local businesses attending the roundtable included about six major area employers such as Kenworth and Glatfelter. The discussion involved ways to increase the university's student internship opportunities, on-the-job training, and programs for continuing education.
"There's special programs we've developed for this campus to help meet the needs of local citizens," said Nellis. "And we'd like to figure out ways to build closer relationships with local businesses and come up with ways to compliment their activities."
Another goal of the roundtable was to establish incentive for students to remain in the local community once they've graduated.
"It's really so important," said Nellis. "You think of our nursing program serving the local health system here in Chillicothe. With Kenworth here, we provide a lot of business and technology management training. There are just so many dimensions here that serve the local community."
Nellis says his vision for Ohio University is to raise its level of national visibility by being an example of how schools can partner with communities to enhance economic development and increase quality of life.
(Pictured above: Ohio University-Chillicothe Dean, Martin Tuck, with Ohio University President, Duane Nellis)