Colligan appointed associate VP for Strategic Partnerships
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Institute of Technology Acting President David Woodall today announced the appointment of Lita Colligan as Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships, based in the Portland Metro region. Colligan was most recently the Workforce Policy Advisor for Governor Ted Kulongoski and was instrumental in advancing the Governor’s workforce agenda, including development of more career pathways for Oregonians.
Colligan’s appointment will help raise awareness of OIT’s unique niche as a university within the Oregon University System, offering applied sciences and technology degrees that are accessible to all Oregonians.
“OIT’s vision is to help its students excel in the technology workplace and to be known for our commitment to the preparation of world-ready grads. We believe Lita’s appointment will help us build the partnerships with education and industry leaders, especially in healthcare, manufacturing, management and information technologies, to achieve our vision,” said Woodall. “We’ve succeeded in developing high quality education for students, but need to strengthen our visibility so more Oregonians have access to great health and technology careers.”
For 13 years, Colligan has led innovative efforts in workforce education, focusing on providing more access to skills training for workers at all levels. For the past four years, in her role as the Governor’s Workforce Advisor, she helped develop Oregon’s workforce strategic plan, Winning in the Global Market, as well as initiatives in manufacturing, clean energy and healthcare. Before joining the Governor’s Office in 2003, Colligan worked as the business development manager at the Portland Development Commission, manager of the contractor development division at the City of Portland and program manager of Portland’s Workforce Training and Hiring Program.
“I am proud to join OIT because our programs are changing lives. OIT provides relevant technology education that gives students immediate employment opportunities, with a 96 percent success rate after graduation. I am confident that OIT can help increase business competitiveness and student success through its educational and strategic partnerships,” said Colligan.
In Portland, OIT provides premiere degree completion paths for working adults, with high transferability of community college credits, real-world programs that prepare graduates for rewarding careers, industry-experienced staff and instructors, and highly personalized student advising. Two Portland Metro locations, one in southeast Portland and one in Beaverton, are easily accessible to students in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. Additionally, OIT offers healthcare programs in partnership with Oregon Health & Science University. The main campus, located in Klamath Falls, Ore., offers bachelor’s degree programs in engineering, health, business and applied sciences in a traditional university campus setting.
For more information about OIT or any of its programs, visit www.oit.edu.
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