|
Dr. Bob D. Owens, who earned a bachelor’s
degree at Northwest in 1959, returned to lead the University after
serving as president of the University of Tampa. Over the next
seven years, Dr. Owens succeeded in strengthening the academic
program, boosting enrollment and improving the institution’s
fiscal outlook.
An avid environmentalist, he also took the first steps toward
developing an alternative fuels program, which, over the past
20 years, has saved the University millions of dollars in energy
costs.
The signal moment of Owens’ tenure was the devastating 1979
Administration Building fire. Rather than restore the gutted north
wing of the structure, Dr. Owens embarked on a campaign to build
anew, which resulted in state funding for a new library (now the
B.D. Owens Library) and the Performing Arts Center.
Back to
Presidents
|
|