Cole Dawson, PhD

Cole Dawson is a semi-retired college professor and academic administrator. Moving from his birthplace in eastern Virginia to the midwest for undergrad and graduate degrees, Cole and his family settled in Oregon where he taught history and humanities courses for almost 30 years at Warner Pacific University and Concordia University in Portland. He then transitioned to administration as he served as Academic Vice President and Dean of Faculty at Warner Pacific in Portland for 10 years and as Associate Vice President at Wilmington College in Ohio.

He brings not only classroom and administrative experience to the Board but also familiarity with regional accreditation, having served on several campus visitations through the Northwest Commission on College and Universities.

He and his wife Linda reside in Sunriver, Oregon and have three children and eight grandchildren. They enjoy traveling to Europe, Hawaii, and to visit friends and family scattered throughout the U.S.