Franklin University Announces New Executive in Residence Program

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University, a leading educator of working adults, is pleased to announce its new Executive in Residence program, promoting the integration of executive practitioners in residence at Franklin University with faculty, staff, and students; bridging the world of academic and practice through an exchange of knowledge and research. 

Franklin University understands the importance of leaders having the capacity to adapt, innovate, and facilitate change centers along with the traditional focus of graduate academic programs that continue to expand and grow. 

"The nature of work and the competencies required to succeed today is evolving rapidly due to increased automation, the digitization of work, and expansion of remote work options, said Dr. Christopher Washington, Provost of Franklin University.  “Our graduates need to continuously learn, adapt, and apply what they are learning to evolving workplaces. By bringing senior-level experts to Franklin University we can tap their knowledge and enhance the University’s theory-to-practice and classroom to career orientation. Having Executives in Residence with us enables our faculty to learn about changes in the workplace, honors the careers of successful senior executives and thought leaders, and places these leaders in direct contact with our students in teaching and mentoring relationships."
  
The inaugural group of Executives in Residence began participating in cross-disciplinary curriculum this fall. During their time with Franklin University, each Executive in Residence will share the expertise they've cultivated in their area of expertise by participating in panel discussions and podcasts on contemporary topics, and by serving as guest lecturers through the Leadership Center, Center for Public Safety & Cybersecurity Education, and Global Center for Healthcare Education at Franklin University.  

Executives in Residence

Healthcare Executive in Residence, Dr. David Meckstroth is a consultant with more than 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Over the course of his career, he has worked through several mergers, a major consolidation to a new hospital, and an affiliation of a healthcare system into a larger system. For 14 years, he was the president and CEO at Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy, Ohio. Meckstroth is a fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association, served on the board of directors for the Ohio Hospital Association and was the board chair for the Greater Dayton Hospital Association. He has a doctorate in health administration from Central Michigan University, an MBA from the University of Dayton and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University. Dr. Meckstroth is married and has two grown children.

Provost Executive in Residence, Jennifer Cook-DeRosa is the Executive Director of Homeschooling for College Credit, based in Charlotte, NC. With a network membership over 40,000, she oversees this volunteer-led organization with the mission to assist homeschooling families with resources, high school and college planning, through peer support and mentoring. Cook-DeRosa is the author of “Homeschooling for College Credit.” She is an adjunct/ConEd faculty at South Piedmont Community College in Monroe, NC, an Apprenticeship Advisory Board Member, a registered Homeschool Examination Administrator, and presenter on college of careers through the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library System in North Carolina.  

Public Safety & Cybersecurity Executive in Residence, Dr. Michael Powers has been an adjunct faculty member of Franklin University’s Computer and Information Science Department since 2000. As a technology industry professional with expertise in government, consulting and financial services industries, he brings practical application to his teaching to ensure today’s working adults can achieve their educational and professional goals. Dr. Powers earned his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Excelsior College and his master’s degree in business administration (information systems) from National-Louis University. He also holds a Ph.D. in business administration (information systems) from Northcentral University. Dr. Powers and his wife, Lisa, live in central Ohio, and have two daughters in college.

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).