[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 3, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S6028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      COMMENDING DR. NANCY ZIMPHER

 Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, today I honor the accomplishments of 
Dr. Nancy Zimpher, president of the University of Cincinnati. For the 
last 5 years, Dr. Zimpher has served the university, its students, and 
the Cincinnati community, and she will soon leave to become the 
chancellor of the State University of New York.
  An Ohio native, President Zimpher earned her academic credentials at 
the Ohio State University and has devoted her professional life to 
improving higher education for America's young people. In 2003, she 
became the 25th president, and the first woman to lead the University 
of Cincinnati. Shortly after her arrival, UC embarked on a 
comprehensive strategic plan to transform the University of Cincinnati 
into one of the nation's top research universities. Dr. Zimpher's work 
resulted in a significant increase in the graduation rate along with 
nearly a 10-percent increase in university enrollment.
  During her tenure at UC, President Zimpher has been highly engaged on 
the national and regional level regarding education policy. As chair of 
the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, Dr. Zimpher was heavily 
involved in issues surrounding the reauthorization of the Higher 
Education Act and was a strong advocate for issues facing urban 
research universities.
  I have had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Zimpher on issues 
relating to workforce development. Dr. Zimpher served on the host 
committee of our inaugural Ohio College Presidents' Conference, where 
she was instrumental in forming partnerships between universities and 
employers. One of Dr. Zimpher's greatest achievements at UC was the 
founding of Strive, a Cincinnati-northern Kentucky collaborative 
focused on college access and success. This partnership involves higher 
education institutions in the Cincinnati region, urban P-12 school 
districts in Cincinnati and northern Kentucky, as well as business, 
civic, and nonprofit organizations. As President Obama has recognized 
through the creation of the Promise Neighborhoods initiative, these 
types of partnerships are essential to the health of urban communities 
like Cincinnati.
  The State of Ohio, the city of Cincinnati, and the university are 
grateful to President Zimpher for her service. I am confident the 
university will continue to grow and increase in national stature 
because of her hard work and leadership. I wish her the best in her new 
position at SUNY and I know that we will continue to work together in 
the future. 

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