Beginning in early spring, the College embarked on an executive search to fill the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) role and I am pleased to announce that Dr. Larisa Harper has accepted the role and will begin her service to the College as our new CAO on January 1, 2022.

Dr. Harper has been the Director of College Credit Plus (CCP) at the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) since October of 2016. In this role, she focused on providing ongoing assistance to professionals in the secondary and postsecondary fields regarding CCP implementation, strategies, and tactics. This role included communicating and guiding professionals through all legislative policy changes. Additionally, students, parents, legislators, and state leaders from across the United States have reached out to Dr. Harper for information about CCP.

Prior to her role at ODHE, Dr. Harper was responsible for overseeing all dual enrollment efforts at Zane State College, including program and curriculum development, secondary school collaborations, and teacher credential review. She worked at Zane State for nearly 20 years. Dr. Harper served in many roles, including Student Services Administrator, Grant Writer, and Project Director for several local, state, and federal grant projects. She also contributed to the assessment, accreditation, and strategic plan initiatives. Larisa has also worked at Otterbein University in the graduate program department.

Dr. Harper earned her Bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology from Ohio University. She earned a Master’s degree in English from Northern Arizona University and completed her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration at Ohio University.