KSU in East Liverpool Dean’s nomination celebrated at the reception

At a reception held Thursday to celebrate the permanent appointment of the new dean and chief administrative officer of Kent State University in East Liverpool, Dr. Bradley Bielski. Bielski had the opportunity to meet with several elected and local city officials, including Mayor Bobby Smith and Services Safety Director Bill Jones. Bielski said that over the last two years in this position, as interim principal, he has had the opportunity to develop relationships with East Liverpool students and community leaders and citizens, and that the commitment to their community and its development and revitalization made him excited about the role, what role Kent can play in this process. From left: Bielski, Kent State, East Liverpool advisory board member, Charles Payne, Jones and Smith. (Photo: Morgan Ahart)

EAST LIVERPOOL — A reception was held Thursday to celebrate the permanent appointment of Dean and Chief Administrative Officer of Kent State University in East Liverpool, Dr. Bradley Bielski.

Calling Bielski the new campus dean and CAO would be a bit of an overstatement, as he has been serving in this capacity on an interim basis for the past two years; however, the secondment has now officially become permanent.

“I have already had the opportunity to build relationships with students and the community in my interim position, and I look forward to continuing to work with the community.” Bielski said.

Bielski brings many years of experience to the position, having served as dean and CEO of the Tuscarawas campus for the past 11 years and continues to serve in that role in addition to overseeing the East Liverpool campus. Prior to joining Kent, Bielski also served as vice president for academic affairs at Robert Morris University for over a decade. In addition to his previous administrative experience, Bielski also brings with him a PhD in chemistry, which he believes has also been beneficial.

“My chemistry degree gave me experience in working with data, both in terms of collection and analysis, which is helpful in making administrative decisions” Bielski said.

Bielksi said he enjoyed his time in East Liverpool and the opportunity to meet the community it gave him.

“I loved my time in East Liverpool, I loved the city, I love the people, it’s a special place, you meet so many dedicated people in this community and on campus.” Bielski said.

Bielski supported these dedicated individuals in their efforts to revitalize the local community, noting that he believed Kent had a significant role to play in this revitalization.

“There is a core group of dedicated people here who are committed to improving and revitalizing the community, and I think Kent has the opportunity to play an important role in that process. There is a saying that at the center of every great city or region there is a university, and when we look around the world we see that it is true that beyond their academic role, universities serve as the center of society.” Bielski said.

Bielski said Kent did “perfectly located” to fulfill this role in East Liverpool due to its city center location providing students with unique opportunities to walk and enjoy the restaurants and businesses in the area, while its proximity to the library and local museums offers opportunities to collaborate on community events such as art exhibitions.

“East Liverpool really is the most unique, it is the only regional campus that is truly urban. Tuscarawas is in the city but on the outskirts, the Stark campus is in the canton but not downtown, it is the only campus that is in the very center of downtown” Bielski said.

Bielski said he would like to continue expanding the on-campus athletic center in the future and that he would like to expand the campus’s relationships with local school districts, noting that while the campus “focuses on adult education, and a significant number of them” students come from these communes. Bielski also said he would look for it “a springboard for city initiatives”, in shaping the development of campus offerings, tailoring them to the workforce development needs of the community and the businesses it sought to attract.

“I intend to make sure that it is known that the university is not only a great place to study, but also a great source of information and a place for professional development” – Bielski said.

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