Pacific Oaks College and Children's School Names Dr. Tamara Rozhon as President

PASADENA, Calif., Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees for Pacific Oaks College and Children's School has unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Tamara Rozhon as the president of one of Pasadena's most renowned institutions.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100108/DC35081LOGO)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110224/DC54454)

The announcement comes three months after Dr. Rozhon was appointed interim president by the Board as it began its process to search for a permanent leader. After evaluating the College's needs as well as the significant progress and momentum it had made over the last several months, the Board approached Dr. Rozhon to see if she would agree to serve as president in a permanent capacity.  

"We were seeking a leader to continue the momentum—someone who had deep experience in student services, financial and administrative management, strategic planning, a commitment to academic quality and innovation and a passion for the mission and values of the institution," said Trustee and Children's School parent Allison Shearmur.  "Frankly, when we looked at Dr. Rozhon we realized that she fit the bill on all accounts."

Dr. Rozhon has worked closely with Pacific Oaks since 2009 as an advisor and has produced impressive results since she arrived on campus in November 2010. Under her leadership, many administrative offices have now moved from the Westmoreland to the Eureka Campus in order to ensure that the president and her team are available to students. The College's Online Campus enrolled its first students this spring, and Dr. Rozhon has begun the groundwork for a School of Education to house new educational offerings. A new alumni association and an alumni magazine are launching in the next few months, along with a major Pacific Oaks community event planned for September. The first Burgess Lecture in April will feature Barbara Bowman, a national early childhood education authority who is a founder and past president of the Erikson Institute and a former consultant to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

In addition, Dr. Rozhon has put together an experienced leadership team to better manage student services, operations, finance and admissions. Financial aid, for example, is developing a new internal aid program designed to make a Pacific Oaks education more accessible to students across the country. Recent enrollments reflect the momentum and energy on campus, as the College welcomed 100 new students this spring.

"I am privileged to have the opportunity to work with everyone in the Pacific Oaks community to preserve, renew and grow this venerable institution," said Dr. Rozhon. "I have never encountered an institution that evokes the kind of loyalty, esteem, and passion from alumni, students, faculty, parents, and community leaders as does Pacific Oaks College and Children's School. It is a testament to the enduring power of this remarkable institution—to its values, scholarship and results."

Dr. Rozhon has two decades of experience in higher education as both an instructor and an administrator. Her expertise includes strategic planning and operations, accreditation and regulatory affairs, institutional effectiveness, enrollment services, student services, and new program development. She has worked with a variety of institutions, including specialized, comprehensive, community college, and research. Dr. Rozhon has also taught at the community college level and in a community-based ESL program. She has been a featured speaker on change management in higher education, and holds a master's in adult education as well as a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

ABOUT PACIFIC OAKS COLLEGE AND THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL

Pacific Oaks College and the Children's School have played a crucial role in the development of early childhood education in the United States for over 50 years. Founded in 1959 by a small group of Quaker families, Pacific Oaks College is dedicated to the fundamental Quaker principles of inclusion, social justice, and the valuing of every human being. The College's faculty has developed innovative curriculum and tools that are widely used in early childhood and teacher training programs—both in the U.S. and throughout the world. Pacific Oaks is well-known for its leadership in curriculum based on learning through play, and for the ground-breaking anti-bias curriculum that has been implemented in schools throughout the country and is often required reading in early childhood teacher training courses.

An accredited non-profit institution, Pacific Oaks College offers bachelor's, master's, and certificate programs in human development, counseling, and teaching credentialing.

Founded in 1945, the Children's School is widely recognized today as one of the finest preschools in the Los Angeles region.

For more information, see www.pacificoaks.edu.

Contact: Lynne Baker

(312) 379-1635; [email protected]

SOURCE Pacific Oaks College and Children's School