OCCC has named Jeff Provine as the new chair of the English department, following the departure of Jacob Nelson, who has accepted a new role as director of concurrent enrollment and school partnerships at the college.
Provine, who previously served as coordinator of English pre-education and literature, said he was approached about the position after Nelson left for his new role.
“I was approached for the position as chair, much like I had been approached to be the coordinator,” Provine said. “When Jacob Nelson left for his new position, he chatted with me to step in as chair. I am happy to do so.”
Provine’s prior work within the department included outreach efforts with the World Languages and Cultures Center and involvement in expanding English offerings beyond traditional composition courses. Those experiences, he said, helped prepare him for the broader administrative responsibilities of the chair role.
“It’s a great honor to be named chair,” Provine said. “I’ve long said my end goal for my career was a chair position, aiming to do so in about 12 years. It came about sooner than I had thought.”
As chair, Provine will oversee a wide range of departmental operations, including course scheduling, curriculum development and faculty coordination. He also will work closely with students, faculty and external partners to support transfer agreements and promote enrollment.
“The duties of the chair make for a long and complicated list,” Provine said. “In a nutshell, I work to manage and promote the English department in our division.”
That work includes addressing student and faculty concerns, planning future curriculum to meet changing student needs and organizing outreach efforts to attract prospective students. Provine noted that collaboration will be key in handling these responsibilities, particularly with faculty members who assist in communication and scheduling.
Despite the administrative demands of the role, Provine said he intends to remain active in the classroom.
“I plan to continue teaching classes, which is a great way to stay in touch with student needs and test curriculum on the front line,” he said.
Provine expects to teach courses in Composition I, Composition II and creative writing each semester.
He said one of the most appealing aspects of the position is the variety it offers.
“I’m most excited by the aspect of every day being something a little different for the chair to do,” Provine said. “One day I may be working with other faculty to review assignments, and the next day I may be chatting with eighth graders about our degree as a path to becoming a teacher.”
Nelson, who previously served as chair, described the role as both demanding and collaborative. His responsibilities included managing course scheduling, overseeing curriculum design and maintaining the English degree program.
“I was in charge of five or six full-time faculty, and if they had any issues, they could come to me,” Nelson said. “If anybody had an issue with an ENGL course, they would come to me. Student complaints, I would handle.”
Nelson also oversaw adjunct faculty across all English sections and worked to develop new courses and initiatives within the department. He said one of his favorite aspects of the position was collaborating with colleagues to bring innovative ideas to life.
“I really liked doing the teamwork aspects of things, especially if they were really innovative,” Nelson said. “Like, let’s get a class going that does something new.”
He pointed to projects such as a cross-listed course focused on writing and illustrating comics as examples of the type of innovation that energized his work.
“That kind of stuff gets me so excited,” Nelson said. “I love making sure that that kind of stuff can get off the ground.”
Nelson said he also valued supporting faculty and serving as a resource when challenges arose.
“Being able to have my faculty’s back and knowing that people needed you for backup, it kind of gives you a purpose,” he said.
In his new role as director of concurrent enrollment and school partnerships, Nelson will focus on expanding the college’s relationships with high schools in the metro area. The position involves coordinating concurrent enrollment programs and helping partner schools meet their academic needs.
“I’m the face of the college for the high schools,” Nelson said, “making sure that we can deliver courses for them, while also trying to innovate and create new avenues of how we can offer courses.”
Nelson said he applied for the position after learning about plans to expand the college’s concurrent enrollment efforts. Following a multi-step interview process, he was offered the role.
He said he is particularly excited about the challenges the position presents.
“Each school kind of has its own needs, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Nelson said. “It’s going to take a lot of creativity in order to make sure that everybody is happy.”
As Provine steps into the chair position, both he and Nelson emphasized the importance of adaptability and collaboration in their respective roles.
For Provine, that means guiding the English department through evolving student needs, while Nelson will focus on extending the college’s reach beyond campus.
Both transitions reflect ongoing efforts at OCCC to strengthen academic programs and expand opportunities for students within and beyond the classroom.
