Cincinnati State finds next president in-house

Cincinnati State looked nationwide, but found its next president Robbin S. Hoopes sitting in the office down the hall.

Why it matters: The longtime provost has helped oversee a decade of enrollment growth and an expanded role in the region.

He will succeed Monica Posey, who retires Aug. 31.

What they're saying: "We're in a strong place at Cincinnati State," board chair Jane Garvey said in a statement. "We want to build on that momentum, and Robbin has the ability to think ambitiously about the future while also bringing faculty, staff and community partners together around a shared vision."

Flashback: Raised on a dairy farm in eastern Ohio, Hoopes earned degrees from the University of Akron and the University of Cincinnati College of Law before starting his career as a litigator.

He later pivoted to higher education, earning a master's degree in linguistics from Gallaudet University and completing a doctoral fellowship at Georgetown University.

His career also included work as a community college professor and interpreter for the deaf.

Hoopes has worked closely with Posey as Cincinnati State's provost and chief academic officer for the past 10 years.

Together, they launched the college's first bachelor's degree programs and expanded offerings in high-demand fields such as health care and aviation maintenance, per the news release.