CINCINNATI, Ohio ― It’s mid-morning on a recent Friday and Dr. Santa J. Ono pulls his red Audi up to a downtown stop sign bustling with activity. Within seconds, he’s greeted by a steady flurry of honks and handwaves.
Ono smiles and waves back, as a herd of students crossing the street crane their necks to catch a glimpse of their tall, lanky, bowtied president. Others whip out their smartphones to snap a photo of him before he speeds off.
“Hey, President Ono!” one student excitedly yells, as if he’s just met Jay-Z or Oprah. “I follow you on Twitter.”
University of Cincinnati President Santa J. Ono, left. is using his welcoming nature and social media skills to usher in a new era for the institution. (Photo courtesy of the University of Cincinnati)
After nearly three years on the job, Ono is redefining the role of the college president in bold and unusual ways. He’s relying on social media, coupled with good-old-fashioned face-to-face contact, to connect with his nearly 44,000 students.
“I love the students,” Ono says, as he moves about campus on foot later in the day, stopping along the way to take selfies with students and staff. “I connect with them virtually. You see them commenting to me on social media and I’ll respond. It’s unique. You gain energy from it. It’s not a chore.”
Shortly after his inauguration, the Bearcat cheer squad hoisted him up at Nippert Stadium to a cheering crowd of thousands. In 2013, he publicly shaved his head in front of UC sports fans to raise funds for the Dragonfly Foundation, which supports young children with cancer.
