Alderson Broaddus University Provost / Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Joan Propst announced Dr. James M. Owston has been promoted as the Assistant Provost for Extended Learning, effective June 1, 2018.
“Dr. Owston is very well suited to assume the role for the University’s initiatives related to extended learning,” said Propst. “Jim has an array of unique experiences that he will bring to ABU as we work toward broadening our quality education into partnerships with industry and/or other institutions. I’m excited to see our educational opportunities available to surrounding areas as defined in our strategic initiatives.”
Owston joined the Alderson Broaddus University faculty in 2014 as an associate professor of mass communication. He was promoted to dean of the College of Humanities and Social
Sciences in 2016 and promoted to full professor and granted tenure in 2017.
During his time at Alderson Broaddus, Owston has served as a member of the Assessment Group and Institutional Review Board. He was also the faculty representative of the Deans’ Council for the 2015-16 academic year. He also serves as a member of the Tenure, Promotion, and Sabbatical Leave Committee.
Owston has served as the faculty advisor for both Digital Edge and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Under his direction, Alderson Broaddus students have claimed six West Virginia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America Crystal Awards and three Honorable Mentions. Additionally, his students recently received a Diamond Award from the East Central District of the Public Relations Society of America that serves West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. His students were also finalists in Region 4 Mark of Excellence competition from the Society of Professional Journalists.
In 2016, Owston passed the Open and Standard Pathway Training for the Higher Learning Commission; he has served as an HLC systems appraiser since 2009. He was appointed to a three-year term as a board member of the American Association of University Administrators in June of 2017.
Owston will continue to serve as the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Alderson Broaddus and teach classes in mass communication. His new role will require him to develop program initiatives for adult degree completion programs and provide educational opportunities in partnership arrangements. Dr. Owston has experience with distance education and with locations outside of the traditional campus setting.