COTC President Receives Ohio State Career Achievement Award

Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) President John M. Berry, PhD, was one of two recipients of The Ohio State University’s Career Achievement Award, which honors alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their professions and a difference in the lives of others. The emphasis of this award is on teaching, mentoring, and sharing their skills and talents with others in their profession.

Berry is a 2009 graduate with a doctorate in higher education and student affairs, which has shaped his career in higher education as well as his exemplary tenure as COTC’s president. While at Ohio State, Berry concentrated his doctoral studies on honing his expertise in educational administration.

He became COTC’s second sole president in 2019, bringing with him more than 25 years of experience in higher education. His extensive background includes roles in enrollment management, student affairs and college advancement, where he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to student development and success.

Now as president, he recognizes that the college resides in a revitalizing region, where industries and organizations are eager for skilled workers. He works to balance the immediacy of the present with the needs of the future. This award is also representative of his commitment to the unique cost-shared and colocated relationship between COTC and his alma mater’s regional Newark campus.

Berry remains passionate about engaging with students and focusing on student-centered goals and initiatives. Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor activities, sports and spending time with his wife, Susan, their three sons, Ryland, J.K. and Grayson, and their dog, Koda.

Read more from the College of Education and Human Ecology at Ohio State.