President David Harrison Biography
Dr. David T. Harrison became the fifth president of Columbus State Community College
in July 2010. Serving more than 45,000 students annually, Columbus State is one of
the largest and most comprehensive colleges in Ohio. Through its campuses in Columbus
and Delaware County and its nine regional learning centers, the college serves students
from all 88 counties in Ohio, provides more online learning opportunities than any
college in the state, and contributes nearly a billion dollars in regional economic
impact.
Under Dr. Harrison’s leadership, Columbus State has focused on improvements in student outcomes with an emphasis on equity. The College has been recognized as a Leader College of Distinction from Achieving the Dream, a national consortium of community colleges focused on equitable student outcomes. In 2019, the College received the Leah Meyer Austin Award, Achieving the Dream’s highest recognition.
Columbus State leads the region in expanding access to affordable bachelor’s degrees through innovative university 2+2 partnerships and deep alignment with high school partners. Dr. Harrison led the formation of The Central Ohio Compact, a regional strategy among K-12, higher education leaders, and employers to help more students succeed in college and in their careers. These partnerships provide Columbus State students the opportunity to succeed in a rapidly changing workplace while reducing financial barriers to degree attainment.
Prior to joining Columbus State, Dr. Harrison served in leadership roles at the University of Central Florida, Seminole State College in Florida, and Sinclair Community College in Ohio, and was a consulting manager with Accenture in Pittsburgh. He holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, an MBA from the Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh, and a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Dayton. He and his wife, Tracy, have been married for more than 30 years, and have 3 grown children: Julie, Mark, and Sam.