Sinclair360

Higher-education consultant Russ Hodge sees Sinclair Community College President Dr. Steven Johnson as nothing less than a dynamic leader.

Perhaps it’s because Hodge has stood beside Johnson as the president has crossed the finish lines of some of the college’s most monumental milestones, including a successful $13 million endowment campaign and the passage of a crucial property tax levy.

His opinion of Johnson’s leadership only got stronger a year ago, when Johnson invited Hodge for a bite to eat in the school’s dining hall. The meeting was more of a strategic session than a celebratory lunch, even though the college had just passed its 10-year, 3.2-mill property-tax levy.

Johnson was eager to talk about Sinclair’s next step to stay competitive; and, as usual, he was thinking big. He shared his desire to see Sinclair grow in its philanthropic culture. Johnson told Hodge that he wanted Sinclair to continue operating as one of the best community colleges in the country, but with a philanthropic culture that rivaled that of four-year institutions.

It was a move that Hodge was familiar with in his work across the country, but he was blown away by Johnson’s foresight. “I was impressed by the complexity of his vision,” said Hodge, who owns The Hodge Group in Columbus. “The president’s vision was far-reaching and dynamic.”

That meeting set in motion the college’s plan to create its first Advancement division. It pulled five separate divisions – including alumni affairs, the Sinclair Foundation, public policy, grants and entrepreneurial investments – under one roof. In turn it gave them all the single purpose to focus on Sinclair’s relationships and resources.

The five key operations – all of which play a critical role in developing long-term donor relationships, as well as going after crucial public funding – now function as one arm of the college. Hodge said that this synergy is critical to taking Sinclair to the next level in higher education: “They are already seen as a great community resource, but they are not viewed as a number-one selection for philanthropy. To raise the bar, they had to change the way they did business.” He has no doubt that the new division will create big benefits in the college’s efforts to foster a more philanthropic culture.

Hodge also lauds Johnson’s decision to appoint Tom Raga as vice president of Advancement. Raga helped spearhead Sinclair’s growth into Warren and Preble counties and also comes with a background of service in the Ohio House of Representatives. “To have a VP as great as Tom shows that the school is serious about philanthropy,” Hodge said. “And [philanthropy] is what the department is all about. It’s no longer worrying about the $5,000 gift today, but its long-term position as a philanthropic option for its alumni and the community.”

By Julie Thompson

Julie Thompson is a freelance writer in Dayton, Ohio. She can be reached at thompsonwriting@att.net.