Photographer: Christine ShawOhio University President M. Duane Nellis, right, and Zanesville Campus Dean Dr. Jeremy Webster meet with local media after a community business roundtable May 9, 2018.

Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis met with local business leaders on Ohio University’s Zanesville Campus to discuss local industry, education and more during a roundtable meeting earlier this month.

Similar business roundtable discussions will be held within the communities in which the University has regional campuses over the course of the summer, including stops in Lancaster and Chillicothe in early June.

Nellis said the goal of these business roundtables is to ensure Ohio University and its regional campuses are best equipped to serve future students and the communities, including local industry, whether it’s through traditional education, continuing education, professional development or micro-credentialing.

“This is an opportunity to outline some of the things we’re doing at Ohio University, and to hear from business leaders about what they would like to see from the regional campuses and the University more broadly,” Nellis said. “Our regional campuses play a vital role in their respective communities and serve as a pathway not only to a transformative education, but to meaningful careers. We’ve got to figure out how to develop an even more robust regional system.”

Nellis was joined during his May 9 visit to Zanesville by Dr. Jeremy Webster, dean of the Zanesville Campus, and Dr. Bill Willan, executive dean of regional higher education. Nellis said one of the strategic pathways he outlined at his investiture in October was a more engaged ecosystem for the University, including across campuses.

“We can’t do it alone. We need to work with our community partner to create a more powerful, engaged experience for our students,” Nellis said. “We need solutions that are wins for everyone involved – students, local businesses and Ohio University.”