Capital University Names Paul Dovre as Interim President

COLUMBUS, Ohio (ELCA) -- Capital University has selected Dr. Paul J. Dovre, retired president of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., to serve as interim president, said Robert J. Weiler, chair of Capital University's board of trustees.
Capital University and Concordia College are higher education institutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Dovre's extensive experience and reputation as a strong and capable leader placed him at the top of the list of candidates who were considered for the university's interim post, Weiler said. Dovre will succeed Daniel A. Felicetti, who announced in April his intention to leave as president of Capital to pursue other career opportunities.
Dovre will not be a candidate in the university's search for a permanent president, Weiler said. A search committee is expected to be announced soon.
"The executive committee of the board of trustees, led by Dorothy Brownley, put together a list of several qualified candidates, and it became apparent rather quickly that Dr. Dovre was ideally qualified to lead Capital during this important time in the life of the university," Weiler said. "The executive committee was unanimous in its support for Dr. Dovre, and he received strong recommendations from two of Capital's former presidents -- Josiah Blackmore and Harvey Stegemoeller."
Dovre will assume his duties on Monday, May 21. The Capital community will look to Dovre to provide the same kind of leadership that marked his 24-year tenure at Concordia, Weiler said.
"These are exciting times at Capital, and we are counting on Dr. Dovre to be more than just a gatekeeper during the search for a permanent president," he said.
"There is a sense of momentum at Capital right now. The Capital Center (a new athletic complex) is just weeks away from opening its doors, our enrollment has never been stronger and we have begun the process of devising a strategic plan to guide the university into the future. We want Dr. Dovre to help us maintain that momentum and provide the steady hand at the helm for which he is renowned," Weiler said.
Dovre, 66, retired in 1999, after 24 years as Concordia's president. After graduating from Concordia in 1958, Dovre earned a master's degree and doctorate in rhetoric and public address from Northwestern University, Chicago. He taught at Northwestern and attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., as a theological fellow before returning to Concordia and joining the faculty in 1963. Dovre served as the school's dean and academic vice president for five years before assuming its presidency.
During his service at Concordia, Dovre was recognized for outstanding leadership. He has been active in the Lutheran Church, serving as vice chair of the Lutheran Council in the USA, a member of the Commission for a New Lutheran Church and a member of the ELCA delegation to the Lutheran World Federation Assembly in 1990.
"I've been impressed by the tradition of Capital University through the years, particularly with the faculty, staff and graduates I have known," Dovre said. "I am most excited about the capacity of Capital to embrace its future through the strengths of its academic offerings, its presence in the region, and most importantly, its people."
Capital University has nearly 4,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs. -- -- --
*Mark Cooper is associate director of media relations for Capital University.

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