Jeanne Jones Jindra, Director of the Madog Center for Welsh Studies at the University of Rio Grande was recently elected as the President of the Welsh North American Association. She joined the board of the Welsh North American Association in 2010, and has served as Secretary, Vice President and moved into the role of President at the NAFOW in Philadelphia in 2022. She has been the Seminar Chair for the WNAA for the past 12 years. Jeanne was inducted into the Order of Ivorites for distinguished service to the Welsh community in 2010. She enjoys traveling to work at the National Eisteddfod in Wales each year in the Cymru Gogledd America and standing with her friends from the WNAA and NAWF boards.

Jess Youse has been named Student Engagement Coordinator for the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College. As Student Engagement Coordinator, Youse will be responsible for planning and delivering cross-college events and activities (i.e., Welcome Weekend, Family Day, Homecoming, Fall Festival, and intramural program). Also, she will serve as an advisor and budget manager for All Greek Council, Student Senate, and other student activities.

The University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College has announced Seth Lawrence will become the new Dean of Students. Lawrence was previously the Interim Dean of Students and served as the Director of Residential Life and Student Engagement. He has worked with Rio for over seven years, starting in 2015 as an Admissions Representative. A native of Wheelersburg, Ohio, he graduated with a degree in Communications from Ohio Northern University and a master’s degree in education from Walden University.

President Ryan Smith shared this message on social media about student athlete, Lexi Woods.

I want to share a story about one of Rio’s incredible student-athletes. Lexi Woods is #23 on the Women’s Basketball team. She’s from Waverly, OH and a 2018 graduate of Paint Valley HS in Bainbridge. Sounds pretty typical, right.