Penn State names Administrative Fellows for 2013-14

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- In its 27th consecutive year, Penn State’s Administrative Fellows Program is well underway with the naming of three new fellows for 2013-14. Created as an opportunity for faculty and staff members to gain first-hand experience in leadership, fellows are given the opportunity to work with senior University officers to gain knowledge and experiences related to the challenges of leadership in an academic community. This year’s fellows are: -- Doris Lee, professor in the training and development program at Penn State Harrisburg. Her mentor will be Robert Pangborn, interim executive vice president and provost, and vice president and dean for Undergraduate Education. -- Raffy Luquis, associate professor of health education in the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education at Penn State Harrisburg, and coordinator of the campus' graduate program in health education. His mentor will be Hal Paz, CEO of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; senior vice president for health affairs; and dean for the Penn State College of Medicine. -- Jennifer Wilkes, director of human resources for Auxiliary and Business Services on the University Park campus. Her mentor will be Madlyn Hanes, vice president for the Commonwealth Campuses. Faculty and staff in the Administrative Fellows Program strengthen their administrative talents and qualifications by working with a Penn State administrator in a mentoring relationship. The program is designed to increase Fellows’ understanding of the contexts within which decisions are made, along with their understanding of various units across the University. The length of the program is one academic year. "The Administrative Fellows Program offers a unique opportunity for professional development at higher levels of administration," said Blannie Bowen, vice provost for Academic Affairs. "Fellows obtain access to a mentor who can familiarize them with issues facing higher education, broaden their leadership skills and perspective and help prepare them for future advancement in their careers. The experiences they gain also can benefit them as they return to their existing positions of leadership." As professor in the Training and Development Program at Penn State Harrisburg, Lee’s teaching and research is focused on multiple areas of instructional systems design, including corporate training design, e-learning design and development, and educational systems analysis. Lee, who began her Penn State career at the Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies in 1991, received the campus Teaching Excellence Award twice, in 2006-07 and 2009-10, the Research Award in 2010-11, and Diversity Recognition Award in 2011-12. “I am extremely honored to have been named an Administrative Fellow under the leadership of Dr. Robert Pangborn,” Lee said. “I embrace the opportunity to further my own understanding of the challenges inherent to undergraduate education at top-tier institutions such as Penn State, and look forward to the opportunity to make connections with other senior administrators at the University.” As the program coordinator of Penn State Harrisburg’s graduate program in health education, Luquis teaches graduate-level courses, advises graduate students and conducts research in the development and implementation of health education programs. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Penn State Harrisburg’s Faculty Diversity Award in 2008 and a fellowship with the American Association for Health Education and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in 2009. “When I found out about my appointment as Administrative Fellow, I was excited and humbled. This program will provide me with the opportunity to broaden my perspectives and experiences in administration and leadership; it will help me to become more effective in my current work, and will further prepare me for future administrative roles,” said Luquis. “Through observation of Dr. Paz’s work, I hope to gain an in-depth understanding of the complexity of the delivery of health care services and professional education, and the challenges of conducting research and community outreach within an academic institution.” Wilkes serves on the central leadership team for Auxiliary and Business Services, and as director of human resources is responsible for the full range of human resources functions for more than 5,700 full- and part-time employees. She began her Penn State career as an employee relations officer in 2001, and has served in various leadership roles with the University’s Commission for Women. "I feel so honored to have been chosen as an Administrative Fellow, and I am excited to begin my work with Dr. Hanes and her team," said Wilkes. "I look forward to learning in more depth about Penn State's campus system, and to developing a deep understanding of the complexity of the University and its impact on local, regional and national levels." For more information about the program, visit http://www.psu.edu/vpaa and click on the link to the Administrative Fellows Program.