Ohio University Southern Campus Appoints
Local News Personality to Development Position
Contact: Bill Dingus 740-533-4610 or Bob Smith 740-533-4595
IRONTON, Ohio (July 17, 2000) -- Ohio University Southern Campus takes a step toward the future with the employment of an assistant dean for development.
OUSC Campus Dean Bill Dingus has named Bob Smith, former news anchor for WSAZ and WOWK, to the new position. Smith will head a fund raising campaign designed to take Ohio University and the Southern Campus into the 21st century.
"We're fortunate to get Bob to lead this development effort and be part of our Southern Campus family," Dingus said.
The five-year campaign, celebrating the founding of Ohio University in 1804, will kick off Nov. 11 and end Dec. 31, 2004.
For Smith this is something new. "I've done a few fund raisers on a volunteer basis, but never one as extensive as this," he said. After nearly thirty years in broadcast journalism, Smith said about this job, "instead of going after news, I'll be going after dollars."
"Primarily I'm looking for people who have strong feelings for the Southern Campus and want to help it and the surrounding community grow," Smith said.
The university will announce a goal for the bicentennial campaign at the November celebration.
"I am in the process now of identifying needs," Smith said. "Then we will attach a dollar figure to those needs and set a goal for the Southern Campus portion of the campaign."
Smith is one of several deans hired to assist in the development effort. He said the university is in the process of hiring or has hired deans for development at each of its regional campuses.
Before accepting this position, Smith taught several classes in the Electronic Media Department at OUSC.
"I've come to know and appreciate the Southern Campus and what it is doing for Ironton," Smith said. "I am going to enjoy helping it do more."
All the funds Smith raises for the campaign will stay at the OUSC campus. "While this is a university-wide campaign," Smith said. "Every penny raised here will stay here."
Smith sees this as a plus for Ironton. "Whenever you have an educated community good things will happen," he said.
Smith is a 1961 graduate of Marshall University with degrees in speech and journalism. He began his broadcasting career at WVOW Radio in Logan, W.Va.
In 1967, he moved to then WHTN Television, now WOWK, in Huntington, W.Va. He rose to the position of News Anchor, and in 1986, accepted a position as co-anchor of the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscast for competing station WSAZ. He retired from WSAZ in 1996.
Smith is married to the former Patricia Morgan of Proctorville, Ohio and has two adult children. In addition to his broadcasting career, Smith also served in the U.S. Army retiring in 1989 as Lt. Colonel U.S. Army Reserve.
