Blondin named interim president of Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, who has a history of academic leadership in the Fort Smith metro, has been named interim president of the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE). She steps in as Kyle Parker, the first ACHE president, steps down. She will begin in the new role on July 13.
Blondin recently retired after 13 years as president of Clark State College in Springfield, Ohio. Before that, she was chancellor of Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus between 2006 and 2013. She also served as chair and trustee of the Higher Learning Commission Board of Trustees, president of the National Council for Workforce Education, and chair of the Presidents for the Ohio Association of Community College.
“I am excited to join Arkansas Colleges of Health Education and to work alongside its dedicated faculty, staff, students, and community partners,” Blondin said in an ACHE press release. “ACHE has established an outstanding reputation for educating healthcare professionals and serving the region through innovation and excellence. I look forward to supporting the institution’s continued growth and helping advance its mission of improving health and healthcare outcomes through education.”
Blondin holds a doctorate in English and a master’s degree in English from Arizona State University, and bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Spanish from Purdue University.
Blondin in 2013 was credited by then ATU President Robert Brown for spearheading initiation of a strategic planning process and first capital campaign at ATU-Ozark. Under her leadership between 2006 and 2013, ATU-Ozark enrollment increased 562%, and 16 new academic and technical programs were added. Blondin joined ATU-Ozark as its chief academic officer in August 2005. She was promoted to chancellor in June 2006.
At Clark State College, Blondin’s work included five completed strategic plans, the creation of multiple marketing/branding campaigns, and the establishment of four baccalaureate degrees and numerous workforce programs. Under her leadership, the college saw a 70% increase in state funding, including more than $25 million in state funds for capital and community improvement projects, and more than $26 million in grant funding for manufacturing, precision agriculture, cybersecurity, addiction studies, mental health, scholarships and youth programs.
“Dr. Blondin is a proven leader whose career has been defined by a commitment to student success, academic excellence, and institutional growth,” said Mike Barr, chair of the ACHE Board of Trustees. “The Board is confident that her experience, vision, and collaborative leadership style will serve ACHE well during this transition. We are pleased to welcome her to the institution and look forward to working with her as we continue building on ACHE’s strong foundation.”
ACHE HISTORY
ACHE was formed when Fort Smith-based Degen Foundation used part of $70 million from the sale of Sparks Health System in November 2009 to what was then Naples, Fla.-based Health Management Associates to build the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine at Chaffee Crossing. The $32.4 million college and its 103,000 square feet is home to 600 medical students.
Parker was selected to lead ACHE in early 2014. The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority donated 200 acres to the school for it to locate at Chaffee Crossing in east Fort Smith. The school opened there in July 2017. The first graduating class was in 2021. The institution now includes more than 850,000 square feet of buildings on a 542-acre campus with a 12-acre park, student housing, and a mixed-use development featuring a grocery store, restaurants and retail spaces. Multiple building projects are underway on campus, including a new bank.
ACHE includes five programs: the ARCOM, School of Physical Therapy (ACHE PT), School of Occupational Therapy (ACHE OT), Master of Science in Biomedicine (MSB), and Master of Public Health (MPH). Also part of ACHE is the Research Institute Health & Wellness Center (RIHWC), a 317,000-square-foot facility that includes a biomedical research lab.