Jeffrey Nolte, Ph.D., is dean of Kent State University’s East Liverpool and Salem campuses in Columbiana County. Nolte began his post at the Salem Campus in the summer of 1998 and began overseeing the East Liverpool Campus in 2004. Prior to this, Nolte was the associate dean of academic affairs at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.  

While at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Nolte developed the Lifelong Learning Program, which included partnerships with business and industry. That initiative also encompassed Two-plus-Two programs with area high schools, allowing students the opportunity to receive high school and college credit simultaneously.  

Nolte brought similar programs to Kent State Salem and East Liverpool. Beginning in 2007, Nolte and staff began the Seniors to Sophomores program, which allows high school seniors to complete up to 24 college-level credits prior to receiving their diplomas.

During his tenure, degree programs including nursing, radiology and horticulture have flourished. The university has also seen a tremendous increase in the number of four-year degrees students can obtain. At the Kent State East Liverpool and Salem campuses, a total of 11 bachelor’s degrees may be earned. A twelfth, in horticulture technology and landscape design, is in the works.

In the fall of 2008 Kent State’s Columbiana County campuses hit record enrollment. To help meet demand, construction of a multimillion dollar, two-phase Health and Sciences wing at the Salem Campus will begin in 2009.

Nolte holds a doctorate in adult and continuing education from Kansas State University and both a bachelor’s and master’s in music from the University of Kansas.

Nolte is active with the United Way and the Sevakeen Lake Country Club, where he is a past president. An avid gardener, Nolte is the president of the Midland Hosta Society. He resides in Damascus with his wife, Molly, and their two children, Audrey and Seth.