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OMSAR (Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention) director Cecil Walters sits for a portrait in OMSAR's Court St. offices. 

Cecil Walters resigns as director of OMSAR after four years

Cecil Walters, who has served as OMSAR director for four years, is leaving the university. Thomas Raimondi will serve as interim director. 

Cecil Walters, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Access and Retention for four years, is resigning to spend more time with his family.

Ohio University officials are doing a national search for Walters’ replacement so the position will be filled for the upcoming summer and fall semester. A job posting was placed on the university’s job board March 31. 

“Cecil has really laid the groundwork for this office to support not only a student in their freshman year, but every year until they graduate,” said Alison Moore, coordinator of OMSAR. “He’s been responsible for a lot of our very successful retention and support initiatives.”

Walters worked at OU for eight years, previously working in the Health Sciences and Professions department.

The OMSAR office is a resource center that falls under the Office for Diversity and Inclusion. 

“(When I got this job), I said to myself, no matter what happens, I’m going to stay (in this position) until the freshman class become seniors — that was my personal commitment,” Walters said. “What that has meant, is that I have been away from my wife who works near Chicago for over two years now.”

Moore said OMSAR has every intention to continue serving students exactly the same way even after Walters’ departure. 

“He is definitely a mentor to me. If there is anything going on in my life, he will drop everything just to listen to what I have to say,” said Brook Knipp, a sophomore studying pre-nursing and is an Appalachian Scholar. “Cecil is one of the reasons I was able to come to Ohio University and be able to graduate with little to no debt. He saw potential in me.”

Kim Reynolds, a sophomore studying media and social change, said she hopes whoever steps in continues the leadership standards Walters has set.

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“Cecil has definitely has made a name for OMSAR,” she said. “Hopefully the person’s nice and personable like him.”

With a job as high energy as the director of OMSAR, Walters said its high demand in looking after students has taken a toll on his personal life.

“I’ve been doing higher-ed for about 20 years. I’ve been taking care of my family and other people for a long time. I kind of want to take three to six months and just travel, take up a hobby and do whatever and then I’ll start looking for jobs,” Walters said. “I haven’t had that since I was in college where I had like a summer to myself. That’s really what I’m going to do at this point.”

Throughout his time as director, Walters implemented further opportunities for multicultural students that go beyond freshman mentoring, Moore said. 

“Since Cecil has been here, OMSAR now offers two classes,” Moore said. “He’s really been able to provide a lot of guidance and advice for many of our upperclassmen students in helping prepare for life beyond Ohio University.”

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Walters said he is proud of how students that are mentored through OMSAR have a higher retention and graduation rate than the general student population at OU. 

“I almost feel like I’m leaving them, but I can’t stay any longer. People of color feel that way when they leave here with those extra relationships they’ve built,” Walters said. “(Multicultural students) depended on me and now I’m not going to be there anymore.”

He is finishing out the academic year so he can help train his replacement. Walters made $63,836 in the 2014-15 academic year.

“I personally have had a great time at OU,” Walters said. “And, I leave with a heavy heart because I am leaving that, but I am happy because I’m moving on to the next stage in my life.”

Starting May 1, Thomas Raimondi, the current leadership and scholar development coordinator for the office, will serve as interim director until a director is selected.

There will be a public reception tomorrow to wish Walters luck in his departure. 

 

@mmfernandez_ 

Mf736213@ohio.edu

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