UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jeff Sharp, a member of the Penn State Smeal College of Business faculty for more than 25 years, is transitioning to a new role within the college.
Sharp has been appointed associate dean for international programs after having served as associate dean for undergraduate education for nearly five years. He succeeds Austin Jaffe, who for more than a decade served as director of the college’s Office of International Programs and then was the first associate dean in that capacity for more than two years.
“I am very pleased to remain in administrative leadership. Dr. Jaffe is a visionary in this field. He created and fostered a serious study abroad program within Smeal and established excellent partnerships around the world. My goal is to build upon that strong foundation,” Sharp said.
“Dean (Charles H.) Whiteman has been extremely supportive of students who desire to pursue excellent academic experiences abroad. Honoring that support, the international programs team will strive to increase opportunities for students to study abroad beyond the current one-third of our undergraduate population," he added.
Sharp will continue to serve as Smeal’s academic integrity officer as well as teach his advanced commercial transactions course. He has been recognized for teaching excellence at both the University level and in the Smeal College.
In 2013, Sharp received the University’s highest overall teaching award, being named a Penn State Teaching Fellow. He previously received the University’s Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching. Sharp also has been awarded Smeal’s Fred Brand Award for Outstanding Teaching multiple times as well as being named a Paiste Teaching and Learning Fellow. In 2003, The Academy of Legal Studies in Business honored Sharp with the academy’s Master Teacher Award. Sharp’s published research on the impact of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act on the education community was named a winner of the Ralph C. Hoeber Award for research excellence by the Academy of Legal Studies in Business.
“It has been an honor and pleasure working with the outstanding faculty, our professional academic advising team and our Career and Corporate Connections team serving five graduating classes, ” Sharp said. “Most of all, I am proud of the students we have prepared for leadership beyond their studies at Penn State.”