The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / News / Bowman chosen as new director of OMA
Ryan Bowman, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Bowman chosen as new director of OMA

February 27, 2020 by Allison Harrell

Ryan Bowman, former associate director of spiritual formation and Title IX investigator and case manager, has been chosen as the Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

After a nationwide search that began in October of 2019, the Office of Student Life and a 12-person search committee narrowed down applicants and selected Bowman.

“It was a long and lengthy process and I thank God for everyone involved,” Bowman said.

Bowman, a graduate of Southwestern Christian College and Abilene Christian University, has held various positions on campus since 2011. Bowman served as associate director of spiritual formation, campus Title IX investigator and case manager and recruiter for the College of Biblical Studies.

April Napier, former director of the office of multicultural affairs, left the university in October, during which time Bowman transitioned into the position of Interim for the Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Bowman said when he was first approached and asked to consider serving as interim, he was a little nervous.

“I hadn’t worked with students in this close a capacity for a long time,” Bowman said. “So I turned it down a few times, and then I really thought about it. And I remembered when I was in college I had a professor, years ago, that challenged us as students when he was asked to take on a task, he asked, ‘By whose authority do I have to say no?’ And he was talking about Christ. And if the opportunity presents itself in the Kingdom, you don’t see yourself as qualified, but what if God does?”

Bowman has served as interim for about six months.

“It gave me a birds-eye view of how things ran and how to communicate with students, which I was really not strong with because I’ve always been in an authoritative role,” Bowman said. “Here, I am learning some dynamics among students and one of the things that people don’t understand is that, you get into a role, you’re not really ‘ready-made.’ There’s no such thing as a ‘ready-made individual.’ You have to be exposed to it. You have to learn to adapt.”

With more than 35 percent of minority racial or ethnic students represented across campus, the Office of Multicultural Affairs provides resources and fellowship opportunities for a diverse community.

“I had to learn how to become a student with them, which is very humbling,” Bowman said. “And these are not just any students, these are the cream-of-the-crop. I’ve never seen student workers that are this diligent, committed and extremely smart.”

Bowman said he plans to implement some new initiatives through phases, with significance of student input. The first phase, that will begin in March, will be a rebranding of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, by renovating the office and lounge spaces to make them more welcoming and inviting.

“We’re just rebranding, not changing anything, because I don’t believe it’s broken,” Bowman said. “They have kept it together, I say they not me, because they have kept this office together.”

The second phase is to connect the Office of Multicultural Affairs with the Office of Admissions.

“What we would like to do, in the future, is to partner with admissions and when we get new students to get tours down here, to come downstairs, to see this place, let students know, especially students of color, that when they’re coming here they can find a familiar face that will partner with them and their walk,” Bowman said. “We want to make sure that we are visible to campus and to our future students and serve the population that is here.”

Bowman said one thing the office is working on now is training others to be healthy encouragement partners to all walks of life, whether male or female or any cultural background.

“What they taught me is that consistent communication is key,” Bowman said. “Because you’re serving the need of a population that is constantly changing. Next year will not be the same as this year. So the innovativeness of you having to be ahead and to make sure that you are listening to them.”

In a campus-wide email from Dr. Scott McDowell, vice president for student life, McDowell said, “The members of the search committee who selected Ryan have been impressed with his commitment to bridge cultural and social barriers and to make sure all of our students feel valued. His ability to connect with a variety of individuals, combined with his strong understanding and knowledge of ACU, position him well to lead this area.”

“For the tenure that I’ve been in the role of interim, I’ve had more faculty and staff ask, ‘What can we do? We want to be of service.’ So I think it’s important for me to brag about how intentional this university has been in involving themselves in the lives of students,” Bowman said. “My heart melts with the fact that [we] have individuals who would like to share in their experience, and not to get in front, not to take it over, but to simply just to share in their experience and their walk and to say, ‘Hey, we are here if you need us.’ And that has made me feel safe and I know it’s made the students feel safe.”

Filed Under: News, Showcase

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

About Allison Harrell

You are here: Home / News / Bowman chosen as new director of OMA

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
optimistsports Optimist Sports @optimistsports ·
26 Jun

The United Athletic Conference is officially taking the place of the Western Athletic Conference in the 2026-2027 athletic year. The UAC is a joint football effort between the WAC and the ASUN but will now extend to all sports. #acuoptimist #acuathletics #wac #uac

Reply on Twitter 1938240320854008109 Retweet on Twitter 1938240320854008109 2 Like on Twitter 1938240320854008109 7 Twitter 1938240320854008109
Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
ashleyh1607 Ashley Henderson @ashleyh1607 ·
3 Jun

My second year at ACU was full of opportunities that grew me as an individual and a journalist.

In my first year as editor in chief of @acuoptimist, we published six print issues, filmed a 3-hour live election show, and revamped our newscast, all while producing news weekly.

Reply on Twitter 1929734328445178254 Retweet on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Like on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Twitter 1929734328445178254

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved