Young

Many college leaders have experience overseeing the construction of new buildings, but Dana Young, a candidate to be Central Oregon Community College’s next president, has had to deal with what happens when something burns down.

At the time, Young was vice president for student affairs at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt in the fire.

“I was just looking out my window and saw smoke,” Young said. “Unfortunately, the hall was not salvageable, but it was an opportunity to rebuild. We traveled around to several different colleges to research practices, and we ended up creating a new suite-style of residences.”

Young, 53, cites her experience overseeing student housing at multiple colleges as one of the reasons she is a good fit for the job at COCC, which plans to open a new residence hall by fall 2015. Young is competing with two other candidates to replace President Jim Middleton, who will retire this summer after a decade on the job. Young is currently the president of Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario. Young was in Powell from 2003 to 2010 as a vice president. Before that, she spent almost two decades at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton performing various roles.

“I think COCC is considered one of (the), if not the, best community colleges in the state. It’s innovative and has a lot of exciting things happening,” Young said. “There’s a lot of potential for growth going forward, and one of the things that excites me is the housing component. I know from experience that students who live on campus are much more likely to stay and be successful because of the relationship they have to the campus. But that doesn’t just happen, and I have experience promoting that relationship.”

Young also cited her experience working with Eastern Oregon University on the Treasure Valley campus as an experience that will prepare her to further the connection between COCC and Oregon State University-Cascades Campus. But COCC isn’t just the next professional step for Young. There’s also a sentimental appeal to working in Bend.

“I’m from Eastern Oregon, and this region seems like the next natural progression,” Young said. “I graduated from Eastern Oregon University, went to (Portland State University) for my MBA and worked in Pendleton for 17 years. I love Oregon and want to be in Central Oregon. As a child I would go there on vacation and for hiking. There’s so much energy.”

Young said the first time she came to Bend was when she was 12. She recalls visiting lava caves and feeding the geese and ducks in Drake Park.

Kevin Kimball, COCC’s chief financial officer, worked with Young at Blue Mountain Community College and recommended she apply for the post at COCC.

“She has a great understanding and passion for community colleges and the role they play in a community,” said Kimball, who emphasized he has no role in selecting the college’s next president. “I also think she understands the difficulty with rural education, and her focus has always been on improving the student experience.”

Darlene McConnell, board chairwoman for Treasure Valley, praised Young’s work and said she’d “hate to lose her.”

“I find her to be extremely well-informed on every issue,” McConnell said. “We sit in a meeting, and she’ll take copious notes. But if you ask her any policy or legislative question, she’ll have the answer right there. She works very hard to stay on top of everything.”

Cheryl Cruson, another board member, characterized Young as “a person one takes an instant liking to and is very personable.”

One career accomplishment Young cited, something unique to Oregon community colleges, is her management of a campus in Caldwell, Idaho, on behalf of Treasure Valley Community College.

“The Caldwell Center is run as a self-supported auxiliary, meaning it runs on tuition and fees with support from the city,” Young said. “But it uses no Oregon or Idaho money. It’s difficult; if you have a change in enrollment, you immediately have to change how you do business, as you can’t go in the red. I know it sounds arrogant, but given my experience, I think I can do the job at COCC, and I would love to be the next president there.”

— Reporter: 541-633-2160, tleeds@bendbulletin.com