After putting in time as a mayor, governor and senator, George Voinovich will return to the place he began — the classrooms of Ohio University.
Voinovich, most recently one of Ohio’s two senators, donated his collection of senatorial papers to Alden Library and will serve as a visiting professor of leadership and public affairs at OU, President Roderick McDavis announced Saturday.
“We are honored to have such an esteemed alumnus return to enrich the lives and education of the next generation of Ohio University students,” McDavis said.
Voinovich’s responsibilities will include writing, creating seminars, managing the library’s Voinovich collection — which now includes both his gubernatorial and senatorial papers — and developing public-private relationships at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs.
“We’re really excited about being able to draw on his expertise and also the wealth of his connections,” said Mark Weinberg, director of the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs.
Although Voinovich will be working primarily with the students and staff at the Voinovich School, he will also try to improve awareness of the Voinovich collection at Alden Library.
“I really want to try and see if we can’t get (students) to take advantage of this collection, to share some of the experiences I have had and hopefully inspire some students to get involved in government, because we need good leaders,” he said.
Voinovich, who graduated from OU in 1958, began working in government in 1963. Throughout his public service career, he served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, mayor of Cleveland, governor of Ohio and as a United States senator, among other positions. He was elected to more offices than anyone in Ohio’s history, McDavis said.
“To many Ohioans, regardless of their political preference, Senator Voinovich made a difference,” McDavis said.
Voinovich emphasized that his primary responsibility was to his family.
“My main goal in life right now is to work with my wife to take care of ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually,” he said.
In addition to his work with OU, Voinovich is a senior fellow at Cleveland State University and is beginning to write an autobiography.
“Working with Mark (Weinberg), the library and the Voinovich School has been great, and I’m looking forward to a lot more,” Voinovich said. “I’m going to become a pain in the neck around here.”
bv111010@ohiou.edu
