Penn College president hosts MSCHE podcast on diversity, equity, inclusion

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Pennsylvania College of Technology President Davie Jane Gilmour, who also serves as vice chair of the Middle States Commission of Higher Education and its Executive Committee, recently hosted the inaugural episode of MSCHE's “Pillars of Change” podcast series.

In the podcast, Gilmour interviews Katherine S. Conway-Turner, president of SUNY Buffalo State, who also serves as an MSCHE Executive Committee member.

The 30-minute session, which is accessible to the general public, focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion as they relate to the conversation at individual colleges and universities, the role college presidents play on campus and in their communities, the most significant challenges and opportunities, lessons learned from the events transpiring in 2020, and the overall impact on students.

Conway-Turner, who has served as president of SUNY Buffalo State since 2014, holds a doctorate and master of arts degree in social psychology, as well as a bachelor of arts in microbiology, all from the University of Kansas. She is the author of numerous articles, chapters, books and book reviews and is known for her social media outreach, including blog and Instagram posts and tweets highlighting campus activities and humanitarian efforts.

Gilmour has served as president of Penn College since 1998, guiding the institution through a period of robust growth and dynamic innovation. She was elected MSCHE vice-chair in January 2020. She holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in health education from Penn State, and she earned a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene education and an associate degree in dental hygiene from West Liberty State College. She is a former chair of the Little League International Board of Directors.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary, nongovernmental membership association that defines, maintains and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations and resources.

The commission is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation activities for institutions of higher education in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including distance education and correspondence education programs offered at those institutions.

For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and a special mission affiliate of Penn State, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call 800-367-9222.