biography of andrew j leavitt phd - university of … word - biography of andrew j leavitt phd.docx...

Andrew  J.  Leavitt,  Ph.D.    Dr.  Andrew  J.  Leavitt  is  a  teacher-­‐scholar  and  an  administrator  who  is  committed  to  student  success  through  his  work  in  university  advancement  and  his  efforts  as  a  professor  of  chemistry.    He  is  the  Vice  President  for  University  Advancement  at  the  University  of  North  Georgia  (UNG)  in  Dahlonega,  GA  and  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  the  University  of  North  Georgia  Foundation,  Inc.    His  portfolio  of  responsibilities  includes the  university’s  fund  raising  program  and  campaigns,  and  alumni  relations  activities.  Dr.  Leavitt  recently  chaired  the  Strategic  Planning  Steering  Committee  to  develop  UNG’s  5-­‐

year  strategic  plan.    He  also  assists  in  building  community  relations  in  the  north  Georgia  region,  has  participated  in  the  university’s  legislative  relations  process,  and  is  a  member  of  the  President’s  Cabinet.    He  holds  faculty  rank  at  UNG  as  a  professor  and  teaches  periodically.    Dr.  Leavitt  served  as  the  campaign  director  for  the  successful  Living  Our  Values  –  The  Campaign  for  North  Georgia.    The  campaign  concluded  in  June  2012  and  raised  $44  million,  exceeding  the  $40  million  goal.    He  served  on  the  senior  leadership  team  overseeing  the  consolidation  of  North  Georgia  College  &  State  University  and  Gainesville  State  College  to  create  the  University  of  North  Georgia  in  January,  2013.    He  led  the  process  to  merge  the  two  philanthropic  foundations  and  is  preparing  to  launch  a  new  comprehensive  campaign  now  that  the  strategic  plan  is  complete.    Before  moving  to  the  University  of  North  Georgia,  Dr.  Leavitt  served  in  several  roles  at  the  University  of  West  Georgia  in  Carrollton,  GA.,  culminating  in  his  service  as  Associate  Vice  President  for  Development  &  Alumni  Relations  and  Executive  Director  of  the  University  of  West  Georgia  Foundation,  Inc.    In  that  role,  he  was  responsible  for all  aspects  of  university  development  and  alumni  programs  including  development  (major  gifts,  corporate  &  foundation  relations,  annual  fund),  alumni  relations,  community  relations,  and  foundation  operations.    Dr.  Leavitt  served  as  the  Interim  Vice  President  for  University  Advancement  from  2007-­‐2008  with  oversight  of  Intercollegiate  Athletics  and  the  responsibility  for  the  Governmental  Relations  Program.    While  on  the  chemistry  faculty  at  the  University  of  West  Georgia,  Dr.  Leavitt  earned  three  university-­‐wide  teaching  awards  and  the  Excellence  in  Undergraduate  Chemical  Research  Award  from  the  Department  of  Chemistry  at  Indiana  University.    His  research  interests  include  the  syntheses  of  novel  solid-­‐state  compounds,  studies  of  heterogeneous  catalysis  using  ultrahigh  vacuum  surface  science  and  scanning  probe  microscopy,  and  ultrahigh  vacuum  surface  science  studies  and  cluster  beam  studies  of  atmospheric  reactions.    Dr.  Leavitt  headed  a  lively  externally-­‐funded  research  program  at  the  undergraduate  level  that  produced  nine  peer-­‐reviewed  journal  articles  and  over  60  meeting  presentations  with  undergraduate  student  authorships.    Innovation  has  been  at  the  heart  of  Dr.  Leavitt’s  efforts  in  teaching  and  learning.    He  led  or  participated  in  collaborative  efforts  in  developing  pedagogy  for  online  learning,  interdisciplinary  science  teaching,  studio  teaching,  and  Writing  Across  the  Curriculum.        Outside  his  work  with  students,  Dr.  Leavitt  advances  the  community  arts  through  board  service.    He  served  on  the  Carroll  Symphony  Board  and  served  on  the  Historic  Holly  Community  Theater  Board.    He  has  also  started  and  supported  the  local  recreation  swim  team  in  Dahlonega,  GA.    Dr.  Leavitt  is  an  avid  amateur  musician,  playing  the  saxophone  in  a  variety  of  university  jazz  and  classical  ensembles.    Additionally,  he  is  a  member  of  Rotary  International  and  serves  on  the  Children’s  Healthcare  of  Atlanta  Forsyth  Community  Advisory  Board.    Dr.  Leavitt  received  his  bachelor’s  degree  in  chemistry  with  minors  in  physics  and  mathematics  from  the  University  of  Arizona  in  Tucson,  AZ.    He  earned  a  Ph.D.  in  chemistry  from  the  University  of  Utah  in  Salt  Lake  City,  UT.