Ocean County College

Dr. Larson's Biography

Dr. Jon H. Larson became the fourth President of Ocean County College on August 1, 2000. An enthusiastic and innovative leader, Dr. Larson's vision for Ocean County College's future includes renewing college spirit, making Ocean County College the technology hub of Ocean County, and reaching out to the community.

Professional Experience
From the beginning of his career, Dr. Larson dedicated himself to education and community service. Over the years he has held both teaching and administrative positions. Before taking the helm at Ocean County College, Dr. Larson was President of Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, PA. Previously, he served as Vice President for Administration/Dean of Institutional Services at Frederick Community College in Frederick, Maryland and has worked as a Research Associate at the University of Maryland's National Center for Post-Secondary Governance and Finance.

Educational Background
Dr. Larson graduated with high honor from Norwich University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Government, and completed both a Master of Arts degree in Government and Politics and a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Administration from the University of Maryland.

Scholarly Activities
An experienced writer and an articulate speaker, Dr. Larson has had more than two dozen articles published and has given a number of professional presentations and speeches along the Eastern Seaboard and California.

Leadership Roles in Education
Throughout his career, Dr. Larson has taken a number of leadership roles in education including Pennsylvania's Advisory Board of the state's 15 community colleges and 12 state universities, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Rural Community College Partnership Advisory Committee, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission Task Force on Capital Guidelines.

Dr. Larson serves on the Legislative Committee of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges and was Chair of the Presidents' Association of the Council, which is comprised of all New Jersey college and university presidents. He is a member of the ACCT Advisory Committee of Presidents. He serves as a board member and trustee of the NJ Marine Sciences Consortium, where he also is a member of the Sea Grant Advisory Council. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Ocean County College Foundation and the Executive Board of the Jersey Shore Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education Task Force on Accreditation and has been asked three times to serve as a Middle States Evaluation Team Chair. He was recently "inducted" as an Honorary Base Commander at Ft. Dix, NJ.

Military Service
Dr. Larson served as a Platoon Leader/Company Commander in the United States Army's 63rd Armored Battalion - 1st Infantry Division stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Personal
Dr. Larson and his wife Judy are the parents of three children: Jon Michael who resides in Maryland, Kristina who lives in Virginia Beach, and David who makes his residence in Georgia. Dr. and Mrs. Larson are also grandparents to their daughter's two children Michael and Zachary, and their son David's stepchildren Ryan and Jeannie.

Dr. and Mrs. Larson have embraced life in Ocean County, immersing themselves in the Jersey Shore's culture and becoming active members of their community.

Community Involvement

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