Husson University’s next president will be the first woman to lead the private institution in its 125-year history.
The board of trustees unanimously chose Lynne Coy-Ogan to lead Husson. She joined the university as the School of Education’s dean in 2005 and spent the past 15 years as senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.
Coy-Ogan will fill a position left open when Robert Clark, whose career in higher education spanned more than 40 years, announced his retirement in October of last year. He was the longest-serving president of four-year colleges and universities in Maine.
Coy-Ogan, who said it was a “tremendous honor” to be Husson’s first female president, will step into her new role July 1.
“Much of my career has been dedicated to being a role model, especially for young girls,” she said Thursday, noting her work as a mentor in the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute. “I may be the first, but I know I’ll be one of many.”
Developing a new strategic plan that positions Husson to address challenges of the future is a top goal for Coy-Ogan, she said. Expanding educational offerings and attracting new people are also priorities that are already underway.
This spring, Husson will launch five new online degree programs, she said. They include bachelor’s degrees in applied health sciences, nutrition and health, and health and fitness. There will also be master’s degrees in applied psychology and applied animal behavior and welfare.
Coy-Ogan was born in Bangor and grew up in Dover-Foxcroft. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Boston University, a master’s degree in school counseling from John Hopkins University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Liberty University.
Before coming to Husson, Coy-Ogan worked as a principal at the Bangor School Department and Regional School Unit 68. In 2002, she was named Maine’s Distinguished Principal.
Previously, she lived in Maryland, where she taught first and second grade and was an elementary school principal.
When Clark announced his plans to retire, Husson’s board of trustees formed a search committee to find the next president. It included faculty, staff, board members and a student representative, all of whom began to look for a president internally because they had confidence in the university’s leaders, said Daniel Hutchins III, chairperson of the trustees.
As provost, Coy-Ogan has been instrumental in leading the development of Husson’s academic programs and making sure they meet the needs of the workforce, he said.
“Husson University has made great strides in recent years expanding its Bangor campus and developing new online programs for Maine, New England and beyond under the leadership of Dr. Clark,” he said. “We are excited to continue the expansion of Husson’s high-quality academic programming and geographic reach to transform more students’ lives under Dr. Coy-Ogan’s leadership.”
Coy-Ogan has dedicated her career to serving students well and building opportunities for them. She plans to bring that same passion to her role as a university president, she said.
“New opportunities like artificial intelligence are changing the landscape, and Husson has long been known for experiential learning,” she said. “As we begin to prepare for careers that can’t yet be envisioned, a commitment to excellence and experiential opportunities will continue to move Husson forward.”
