O'dell Owens named new Cincinnati State president

CINCINNATI -- Hamilton County Coroner O’dell Owens has been named the new Cincinnati State Technical & Community College president.

Mitch Livingston, the vice president of student affairs at the University of Cincinnati, was Owens’ only opponent.

Interim President John Henderson, who replaced Ron Wright, served about three years.

Owens said Wednesday that he plans to leave his job as coroner, but will serve in both positions during a transitional period.

"Dr. Owens is the right man for this place at this time. We are confident he will take Cincinnati State to new heights,'' said Michael Oestreicher, chairman of the board of trustees.

According to a press release from the university, Dr. Owens will begin his duties at Cincinnati State with the start of its early fall term on Sept. 7.

The release further stated that Dr. Owens, a native Cincinnatian, attended Woodward High School, Antioch College, and Yale University, where he earned his M.D., a master's in public health and completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also served at Harvard Medical School as clinical instructor and completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. He established an in-vitro fertilization program and achieved Cincinnati's first successful conception and delivery, and first pregnancy, from a frozen embryo.

About 10,600 students attend Cincinnati State.