OWU Connection Leadership

Megan R. Ellis '05

Executive Director, OWU Connection
mrellis@owu.edu

Megan co-leads the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan University's signature experience. As a strategic leader, she is responsible for the unification and growth of this transformational program which is integrated into the OWU curriculum.

In her role as Executive Director, Megan works closely with students, faculty and staff, alumni, community members, and corporate partners to create opportunities for personal and professional development for OWU students through research, service, travel, and career development. Megan oversees multiple teams, including Career Connection, Delaware Entrepreneurial Center, Woltemade Center for Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship, Ross Art Museum, Early Childhood Center, Perkins Observatory, Global Scholars, Arneson Institute, Education Fellows, and New York Arts Program, which provide high-impact practices and student opportunities connecting curriculum to out-of-classroom experiences.

Megan earned a master's of education in higher education from Pennsylvania State University with a certificate of institutional research and a B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University with an economics management major and psychology minor. Megan is the advisor for OWU Hillel and Delta Gamma.

David D. Markwardt

Associate Dean, OWU Connection
Chief Pre-Health Advisor
Herbert L. and Margaret Wright DuPont Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
ddmarkwa@owu.edu

David co-leads the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan University's signature program of co-curricular learning. Along with Megan Ellis, Executive Director of the Connection, David works to support a transformative student experience by facilitating and coordinating activities in the traditional areas of the OWU Connection–Career Connection, Service Learning, Undergraduate Research & Scholarship, and International & Off-Campus Programs (IOCP). In addition, David and Megan oversee the Centers & Programs (C&Ps) on campus including the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center, the Woltemade Center for Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship, the Ross Art Museum, the Early Childhood Center, the Perkins Observatory, the Global Scholars Program, the Arneson Institute, the Education Fellows program, and the New York Arts Program. All offices, centers, and programs under OWU Connection leadership provide and support high-impact practices that integrate co-curricular experiences with the curricular journey of OWU students.

David earned a B.S. in Zoology and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before moving to Academic Affairs in 2022, David spent 19 years in the Department of Zoology/Biological Sciences at OWU. David is also the Chief Pre-Health Advisor at OWU.

Jill C. Hayes

Coordinator, OWU Connection
jchayes@owu.edu

Jill provides event planning and administrative support to the OWU Connection team.

In her role, she helps plan and execute campus-wide events, including the OWU Connection Conferences and the Spring Student Symposium. Jill is also the coordinator of the Student Assistantship Program and Legacy Internship Program, in which she aids students in gaining practical work experience through on-campus internship opportunities. She earned a B.E.S. in communication disorders from St. Cloud State University in 2001.

 

Contact Info

Location

Slocum Hall
61 S. Sandusky St.
Delaware, OH 43015
E connect@owu.edu

Contacts

David D. Markwardt
Associate Dean of the OWU Connection
Slocum Hall 308 | ddmarkwa@owu.edu

Megan R. Ellis
Executive Director of the OWU Connection
Slocum Hall 211 | mrellis@owu.edu