黑料专区

Harrisburg 鈥� The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education today unanimously selected Dr. Charles E. Patterson, senior advisor for executive outreach in the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Office of Federal Student Aid, to be the next president of Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, effective July 1.

Dr. Patterson has been in his current role since 2017. He previously was interim president of Georgia Southwestern State University and also held the position of vice president of research and economic development at Georgia Southern University. He began his academic career at Baylor University.

鈥淒r. Patterson has a broad background in higher education, ranging from the classroom to the highest levels of administration,鈥� said Board of Governors Chairwoman Cynthia D. Shapira. 鈥淭hat background and his commitment to students will serve Mansfield University well as it strives to advance its mission of serving students, the community and the Commonwealth.鈥�

Dr. Patterson is responsible for the development and execution of FSA鈥檚 outreach and engagement efforts with higher education executives across the country, as well as with a variety of stakeholder organizations. He leads strategic programs focused on higher education finance and the protection of student borrowers. FSA is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation, distributing more than $120 billion in federal grants, loans and work-study funds each year to more than 13 million students attending nearly 6,000 colleges and career schools.

鈥淭hroughout his career, Dr. Patterson has worked with students, with faculty and with his administrative colleagues to help ensure students succeed in the classroom and beyond,鈥� said Chancellor Dan Greenstein. 鈥淲ith his breadth of experience and obvious passion, he will be a great addition to both Mansfield University and the State System. I am thrilled that he will be joining our team.鈥�

Dr. Patterson said he 鈥渢ruly honored鈥� to have been selected as Mansfield University鈥檚 next president and is excited about the opportunity to take on the role.

鈥淚 am leaving the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., to join a community of dedicated faculty and staff that inspire campus-wide excellence in teaching and student achievement,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 look forward to serving alongside our campus and community leaders, as well as the extended Mountie Nation, as we shape the future of Mansfield University.鈥�

The Board鈥檚 action today comes at the conclusion of a national search for Mansfield University鈥檚 next leader. Peter Fackler has been serving as interim president since last summer and will remain in that role until Dr. Patterson鈥檚 arrival on campus.

鈥淲e are elated to welcome Dr. Patterson as Mansfield University鈥檚 next president,鈥� said Bobbi Kilmer, chair of the university鈥檚 Council of Trustees. 鈥淗e is an experienced leader who is uniquely qualified to take on the challenges our campus is facing. I am confident Dr. Patterson will provide the leadership and stability Mansfield needs to navigate the future while at the same time respecting our history and culture. I am grateful to the members of our presidential search committee for their hard work and dedication throughout this incredibly important process.鈥�

"It was an honor to chair the search committee tasked to recommend the next president to the Council of Trustees,鈥� said Karen Russel, who also is a council member. 鈥淒r. Patterson will provide student-focused leadership that is critical to the university鈥檚 continued commitment to student recruitment, enrollment and retention. His experience in fiscal management, fundraising and community outreach will guide the university into the future. We look forward to welcoming him into the Mansfield University family."

Dr. Patterson has a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Mississippi State University and a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He also attended the University System of Georgia鈥檚 Executive Leadership Institute and the Association of State Colleges and Universities鈥� New Presidents Academy.

Prior to taking his current position, Dr. Patterson served for two years as interim president of Georgia Southwestern, a university of about 3,000 students in Americus, Georgia. The university is the home of the internationally recognized Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving and is a strong regional asset and economic driver for Southwest Georgia.

As interim president of GSW, Dr. Patterson led efforts to stabilize and grow the university鈥檚 undergraduate and graduate enrollment, which resulted in a 10 percent increase in the size of the student body during his tenure. He also led the development and implementation of the university鈥檚 strategic plan and accompanying enrollment management plan and increased external and internal marketing and promotional efforts to enhance institutional branding, student enrollment and student engagement activities.

Grant funding and annual giving increased by almost 75 percent in Dr. Patterson鈥檚 first year at GSW; and, in his second year there, the university received an award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education for overall performance and improvement in educational fundraising programs.

During his time at Georgia Southern University, Dr. Patterson was a member of both the senior leadership team and President鈥檚 Cabinet. As the university鈥檚 senior research officer, he represented the school to grant agencies and industry leaders in the region and throughout the state.

He was responsible for strategically growing and supporting the university鈥檚 research and scholarly efforts by identifying and forming partnerships with federal, state and regional entities. He also worked to integrate the scholarly and instructional elements of the university's mission and academic programs in support of student engagement and degree completion and to boost the university鈥檚 role as an economic driver in the community and state.

Dr. Patterson began his academic career in 2003 as a project manager in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He later served as assistant director in the Office of Sponsored Programs and as an instructor in the University Honors College.

Among his other roles, Dr. Patterson has served as a member of the University System of Georgia鈥檚 Regents Advisory Committee for Economic Development and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He has presented at numerous academic conferences, at both the regional and national levels, and has a variety of professional publications to his credit.

Mansfield University enrolls about 1,600 students and offers more than three dozen associate, bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degree programs and nearly 100 undergraduate concentrations and minors. The university opened as Mansfield Classical Seminary in 1857. It was the first school in Pennsylvania to offer a degree in music education.

Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education oversees 14 four-year public universities educating more than 90,000 students across the Commonwealth. The State System offers more than 2,300 degrees and certificates in more than 530 academic areas.