Non-Profit Leader Appointed Director of UI&U's Center for Lifelong Learning

Dayle Deardurff

Dayle Deardurff has led several Cincinnati non-profit organizations; will create programs for Union designed for career and personal development

CINCINNATI, OH - Union Institute & University (UI&U), a private, non-profit university headquartered in Walnut Hills today announced it has appointed Dayle Deardurff director of the university’s Center for Lifelong Learning. In her role as director, Deardurff will design and implement programs that provide educational opportunities for students and professionals looking to further their career, maintain professional certification or licensure, earn pre-requisite credits, or follow a passion.

Union Institute & University currently offers a variety courses as part of its Center for Lifelong Learning. In addition to the student-designed course option, the center also works with outside organizations to design and implement external courses for UI&U graduate or undergraduate credit. As the new director, Deardurff plans to partner with Cincinnati employers, local community leaders and non-profit organizations to provide workshops and certificate programs for professionals, in addition to courses and programs designed to meet an individual’s specific career and personal development needs.

“We are very excited to bring Dayle on board and to support her in her efforts to expand our offerings for individuals serving business, non-profit, and governmental sectors,” said UI&U President Roger H. Sublett. “Her experience and expertise are a good fit for Union’s mission to serve adults, engage the mind and the spirit, and enhance community service.”

“Union’s Lifelong Learning program has the potential to become one of the region’s best resources for professional career development. Our flexible and highly supportive structure enables us to provide personalized support to both organizations and individuals, and our national and online presence provides a unique foundation to tap our expert faculty who are located across the country.” said Deardurff. “I am very excited to work with Union’s staff and faculty to create opportunities for our community.”

Deardurff brings to Union significant management experience in non-profit organizational development, operations, program design and development, and nonprofit consulting. Her most recent position was as director for Northern Kentucky University’s Institute for Nonprofit Capacity where she oversaw the development of the nonprofit resource center, forging partnerships within the university and with outside organizations to serve the region’s non-profits. She recently authored a report on the status of nonprofits in our region, “Holding Our Community Together: The Nonprofits of Greater Cincinnati.”

Prior to joining NKU, Deardurff served as president and chief executive officer for Cincinnati Works, where she led a staff of 20 in its mission to reduce poverty through sustainable employment. Under her direction, Cincinnati Works successfully met a 20 percent increased demand for services through restructured operations, improved fundraising and enhanced program delivery.

Before serving at Cincinnati Works, Deardurff was executive officer of Public Allies Cincinnati, the local site of the national AmeriCorps program that provided experiential leadership development for hundreds of local young adults by placing them in paid, ten-month leadership development internships at more than 40 non-profit organizations.

In this role, from 2000-2007, Deardurff directed all aspects of agency operations including program development, client data collection, grant writing and reporting, media and community outreach efforts, and the recruitment and training of AmeriCorps volunteers in Cincinnati.

In 1996, Deardurff was hired as the executive director of ProKids, in charge of designing, implementing, and developing the new child advocacy agency (CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates). Under her direction, ProKids grew from a staff of three and 30 volunteers to a staff of 23 with more than 100 volunteers serving 2,000 children.

Deardurff earned a B.A. from Bowling Green State University and a J.D. from Creighton School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska.

For more information about Union Institute & University’s Center for Lifelong Learning, contact Nicole Hamilton, public relations manager, at nicole.hamilton@myunion.edu, or 513-487-1194.