Patrick Jones, assistant vice president for academic affairs, online learning, at Drexel University, has been named chancellor at Penn State Schuylkill, effective Jan. 4, 2019. Jones has more than 30 years of experience in the field of education as an academic administrator, professor and band conductor, in addition to serving for 30 years in the U.S. Army and Air Force.
Penn State York Chancellor David W. Chown plans to retire as chancellor of Penn State York effective Aug. 1. Chown has served the campus and Penn State for a little more than five years.
Ralph Ford, former director of the School of Engineering and associate dean for industry and external relations at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, has been named chancellor of the college. He had served as interim chancellor since July 1. Ford was selected following a national search. As chancellor, he will serve as the chief academic and administrative officer.
Damian Fernandez, CEO and head of school at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City, has been named chancellor of Penn State Abington, effective July 1, 2016. Fernandez will succeed Karen Wiley Sandler, who announced her intention to retire as chancellor of the Abington campus in June after more than 20 years of service to Penn State. Sandler will remain as chancellor until June 30, 2016.
Lillian Schumacher, vice president for academic affairs at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio, has been named chancellor at Penn State Beaver, effective Feb. 1, 2016. Donna Kuga, interim chancellor at the Beaver campus, will remain in that capacity through the end of January. In addition to serving as chancellor of Penn State Beaver, Schumacher will provide general oversight of the office of the campus director of nearby Penn State Shenango in Sharon. The two campuses share selected academic programs and administrative infrastructure.
Andrew Egan, dean of the Faculty of Science and acting associate vice president for research at Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba, has been named chancellor and chief academic officer at Penn State Greater Allegheny, effective Feb. 15, 2016.
Tina Q. Richardson, associate dean of academic affairs at Drexel University’s School of Education, has been named chancellor of the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus, effective July 15.
Penn State is seeking candidates for the chancellor of Penn State Worthington Scranton. Chancellor Mary-Beth Krogh-Jespersen announced her retirement on Aug. 21, effective June 30, 2015.
Penn State is seeking candidates for the chancellor and chief academic officer (CAO) of the Penn State Greater Allegheny campus. Nancy Herron is serving as interim chancellor following the retirement of Curtiss Porter in December 2013.
Sophia Wisniewska, chancellor, Penn State Brandywine, has accepted a position as regional chancellor at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, effective July 1, 2013.
Penn State Altoona Chancellor Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry received the Francis of Assisi Award from St. Francis University at its annual Founders Day dinner on Sept. 21.
John J. Romano, Penn State's former vice president for commonwealth campuses and former CEO at Penn State York, will come out of retirement to lead the York campus while a search is conducted for the campus' next top administrator. Chancellor Lisa Plowfield, who began her tenure at York campus in August 2011, has announced her resignation. Romano will begin his interim appointment on Aug. 1.
Penn State Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses Madlyn Hanes extended her best wishes to Plowfield, and thanked Romano for his willingness to return to the York campus while a national search for the next chancellor takes place.
Penn State is seeking candidates for the chancellor position at Penn State Schuylkill. The position opened when former Chancellor R. Keith Hillkirk was appointed chancellor of Penn State Berks in March.
Penn State York will have a new chancellor on Monday, Aug. 1, when Lisa Ann Plowfield, former dean and professor of the College of Nursing at Florida State University, reports for work as chancellor. She is the fifth top administrator in the campus' history and replaces Joel M. Rodney, who retired this month after more than eight years of service to the University.
