VIENNA - Harold Shank, the new president of Ohio Valley University, said his ultimate goal is to keep the institution on-track as a Christian-based college.
The OVU Board of Trustees announced in March it had selected Shank as the school's ninth chief executive. Due to other obligations, Shank has only recently begun work at the college and will assume his duties full time this fall.
Shank most recently was the professor of Old Testament at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City. He is a noted author and minister with 32 years of service to the Highland Street Church of Christ in Memphis, Tenn. Since 1996 Shank has been the national spokesperson for the Christian Child and Family Services Association, and he is the reviews editor for the Christian Chronicle, a monthly newspaper serving Churches of Christ.
Shank said he was hired for the position primarily because of his background.
"They hired a preacher. I'm a theologist," he said. "I was hired because we want this university to be firmly within the faith community."
Shank said OVU's primary purpose is to transform lives through Christian-based education, and he intends to keep the university true to its mission.
"That is the goal, to make sure that we stay within that faith tradition," he said.
Exactly what steps will be needed to achieve that goal is still undecided. Shank said there are two schools of thought for a first-year college president: Take a year to listen and learn before deciding a course of action, or jump into the job with immediate action. Shank said he believes OVU is stable enough to allow him time to adjust to the position and the needs of the college.
"My goal the first year is to listen," he said.
Shank said part of that first year will revolve around determining best practices for the college, reaching out to the community, especially area Churches of Christ, finding ways to attract local students to the college and keeping the college financially viable.
Shank said he also hopes to see the college do more outreach programs for youths, partnering with area schools and organizations to provide opportunities for at-risk youth to achieve an education.
"I'm very interested in that group and what we can do," he said. "We need to be involved in the local community."
