18 Facts About Duane Nellis

Marvin Duane Nellis was born on July 26,1954 and is an American educator, university administrator, and served as the 21st president of Ohio University in Athens.

Duane Nellis was previously the president of Texas Tech University and the University of Idaho.

Duane Nellis went on to graduate from Oregon State University with a master's in geography in 1977 and a Ph.

At Kansas State, Duane Nellis was a department head, associate dean, and after returning from West Virginia, served as provost and senior vice president from 2004 until his departure for the university presidency at Idaho in 2009.

Duane Nellis later became president of Texas Tech in June 2013, serving until 2017.

Duane Nellis arrived at the University of Idaho in Moscow in 2009 and led a major $225 million capital campaign, and oversaw over $80 million in campus facility improvements.

Duane Nellis created the President's Diversity Council, enhanced what became a nationally award-winning engagement effort through creation of the Office for Community Partnerships, improved major inter-disciplinary initiatives, and significantly improved business partnerships between the university and business and commodity groups in Idaho and throughout the Northwest.

Duane Nellis served as a Governor-appointed commissioner of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, which coordinates higher education efforts for the 15 western states, and has been involved in various national committees for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

Duane Nellis was announced as the final candidate for the presidency of Texas Tech University on March 1,2013.

Duane Nellis has advocated for continued quality enrollment growth, accelerated research expenditures and faculty recognitions, creating a more engaged institution while promoting industry and community partnerships, with a commitment toward global connections and creativity while seeking external revenue sources to invest in the university enterprise.

Duane Nellis served as a tenured university honors professor while working on broader university strategic initiatives.

From 2013 to 2017, Duane Nellis was a trustee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

In 2017, Duane Nellis was announced as the next president of Ohio University on February 22, and he officially took office on June 12.

In 2018, Duane Nellis is credited with championing the new OHIO Honors Program instituted under the established Honors Tutorial College at Ohio University in 2016.

Duane Nellis served as a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Commission on Economic and Community Engagement Executive Committee in 2019.

Duane Nellis was named 2023 Fellow of the American Association of Geographers, a lifetime achievement award recognizing his expertise in the field of geography, particularly remote sensing, and his leadership roles in higher education.

Duane Nellis met his wife Ruthie as an undergraduate at Montana State.

Duane Nellis worked in Kansas State's commercialization initiative and was project manager on several major library building projects at West Virginia.