Ronald Mahurin Named Academic Vice President & Dean

HOUGHTON, N.Y. —Ronald Mahurin, vice president for professional development and research at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), has been named the academic vice president and dean of Houghton College.

Mahurin will assume this leadership role on August 1.

“Mahurin brings to Houghton a deep commitment to faith-based liberal arts education, widespread experience in faculty development, and a heart for connecting learning to the real world,” said Houghton College President Shirley Mullen. “We believe that his coming will further Houghton's commitment to make this campus a center of intellectual, cultural and spiritual enrichment for western New York, and a more effective partner in the critical conversations in our culture on the nature and value of education for the 21st century.”

In his position with the CCCU, Mahurin has provided strategic leadership in professional development for over 100 college and university campuses across North America, expanded professional development programs to annually serve over 1500 leaders, and coordinated major national research projects on student retention, quality and spiritual formation. Additionally Mahurin built network of business, higher education, publishing and non-profit organizations to partner with CCCU and worked with national journalists to help raise the profile of Christian higher education.

From 1995-1999 Mahurin was the director of foundation and corporate relations at Gordon College. In this role he managed approximately 40 foundation and corporate accounts during a $42 million capital campaign. In 1996 he received a Circle of Excellence Fundraising Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Prior to this role Mahurin spent time leading a seminar of conflict and change in the Middle East on the CCCU’s Middle East Studies Program and served as a Malone Fellow with the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations studying in Kuwait and Syria. He is the co-author, with Timothy Sherratt, of "Saints as Citizens: A Guide to Political Responsibilities for Christians" (BakerBooks, 1995).

Mahurin has consulted for various programs with organizations including the Association for Christian Schools International (ACSI), the PBS documentary project “Jews and Christians: A Journey of Faith,” Regent University, Robertson School of Government, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and The John Templeton Foundation’s “Expanding Humanity’s Vision of God” program.

Mahurin holds a bachelor’s in political science from Gordon College and a master’s and doctorate in political science from Miami University in Ohio.

“As a political scientist by academic training, Mahurin is committed to preparing undergraduates to be national and global citizens for our time,” said Mullen.