Building Opportunity
Destiny Coleman Named Administrative Director of Ohio Wesleyan's Woltemade Center
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University has appointed Destiny Coleman as the administrative director of The Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship. Coleman most recently served as the director of education and administration for Opera Columbus.
At Ohio Wesleyan, Coleman will work to support The Woltemade Center's strategic vision, benefiting students and building the center's impact and visibility within the fields of economics, finance, marketing, management, entrepreneurship, accounting, and international business. She began her new role Dec. 14 and reports to Ohio Wesleyan Provost Karlyn Crowley, Ph.D.
"Destiny's experience in entrepreneurial work in the arts brings a new, exciting dimension to The Woltemade Center," said Crowley, who oversees the university's academic curriculum. "A key component of her work will involve collaborating with OWU faculty and strategic employers to create a larger, more formalized internship pathway for students.
"In addition, her expertise and experience doing innovative equity work is a huge asset to The Woltemade Center and Ohio Wesleyan generally," Crowley said. "I look forward to seeing how she infuses equity through the programming and vision of The Woltemade Center so that even more students see themselves reflected there."
Coleman joined Opera Columbus in 2013, and served as the education coordinator and the director of education and community programming before being appointed the director of education and administration in fall 2017. In that role, she managed the creation and implementation of 12 educational programs and 25 community partnerships with local organizations, reaching more than 16,000 people each year.
In addition, she developed partnerships with higher education organizations; served as the diversity, equity, and inclusion liaison; oversaw the administration of annual productions; collaborated with stakeholders to identify strategic partnerships and program opportunities for the community; managed the annual education and community engagement budget; identified grant opportunities; and led the creation of two new annual programs providing opportunities for individuals in underserved areas.
Coleman said she is excited to join the Ohio Wesleyan community and to help enhance the image and impact of The Woltemade Center. Her position is funded by the center's Alumni Advisory Board.
"I am honored to be selected as the administrative director of The Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship," Coleman said. "The center provides an outstanding foundation for students to grow and prosper and creates real-world opportunities to inspire the next generation of leaders. My vision for The Woltemade Center is to build strategic partnerships, raise awareness of the center and its programs, and provide diverse, equitable, and inclusive opportunities for students."
Coleman earned her Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from The Ohio State University and her Master of Science in management and leadership from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah. In August 2020, she was recognized as an emerging leader in Columbus and awarded the Next Up Columbus Award by The Columbus Young Professionals Club. She also is a recent graduate of the YWCA Leadership for Social Change Program.
Established in 1985, The Woltemade Center works to enhance teaching, learning, research, and community service at the university. The center is named in honor of the late Uwe J. Woltemade, Ph.D., an Ohio Wesleyan economics faculty member from 1965 to 1995.
The center provides opportunities for students to become Accounting Fellows, Corns Business and Entrepreneurial Scholars, Economics Management Fellows, and Latham Entrepreneurial Scholars, as well as complete internships through the Blaine E. Grimes Summer Grant Program, collaborate with faculty on research through the Norman Leonard Endowed Student Research Grant Fund, participate in the Burton D. Morgan Student Paper Competition, earn a nomination for the Woltemade Prize, and be selected for the Joann P. Harvey Accounting Award.
The center also assists student organizations including the OWU Marketing Group and university's Investment Club. Learn more at owu.edu/woltemade.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more undergraduate majors than many universities its size and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature program, The OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to integrate knowledge across disciplines, build a diverse and global perspective, and apply knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "best colleges" lists. Learn more at owu.edu.