New assistant deans plan changes for Kent State

By D.a. Wilkinson

The university’s leadership team in Columbiana County is growing.

SALEM — Kent State University has hired two new assistant deans who already are forging relationships in Columbiana County.

They are Dr. Susan Rossi, formerly of Eastern Gateway Community College in Steubenville, and Dr. Melissa Denardo, formally of Aiken Technical College in Aiken, S.C.

At EGC, Rossi was the dean of business, engineering and information. She worked with faculty and staff to broaden programs and started a registered health- information technology degree, a power-plant operation degree and an electric-utilities technician degree — viable jobs on the Ohio River.

She oversaw a budget of more than $2 million and wrote or co-wrote numerous grants.

She will be working at Kent’s East Liverpool campus.

Denardo was vice president of academic affairs at Aiken Technical College.

She is credited with establishing retention activities that helped increased enrollment, the graduation rate and student satisfaction.

She also started a faculty academy, revamped program reviews and developed a “Course Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan.” She was also instrumental in bringing “Achieving the Dream,” a multiyear national initiative to help students succeed, to South Carolina.

Over the years, she was instrumental in writing 12 grants that brought in $1.8 million to schools. The faculty, under Denardo’s guidance, created three new degree programs and a new apprenticeship program.

As part of her responsibilities, she oversaw budgets that totaled more than $9.4 million.

The two educators have been introducing themselves to the county.

Denardo said she “wants to engage students in learning.” That way, she said, “students will be more successful.”

Instead of KSU students on spring break working out of state to help the needy, they will be working with local charities including Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army and the Columbiana County Parks Department.

They’ll be picking up litter and fixing fences on the Greenway Bike Trail and laying carpet and painting for nonprofit organizations.

The school’s nursing faculty will work on an American Indian reservation in Pine Ridge, N.D.

Rossi is familiar with the local economy since she lives in Salem.

Many of the steel mills and manufacturers that were the backbone of the county closed over the years and haven’t been replaced.

Changing the economic picture “takes forever. It’s a slow process.” Rossi said, adding, “It’s tough, but doable.”

wilkinson@vindy.com