Andrew Egan, PhD

Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer | The Pennsylvania State University Greater Allegheny Campus

Phone: 412-738-5696| Email: ddbegan@gmail.com

January 5, 2017 Dear Search Committee Chair: Please accept this letter of interest and attached curriculum vitae in support of my very keen interest in

the position, President, Vermont Technical College. Given my career goals and organizational leadership

experiences, my strong belief in Vermont Technical College’s mission and emphasis on student success

and active learning, and its reputation for student-centered professional and technical education, it is

with genuine interest and enthusiasm that I apply for this position. I’d like to take this opportunity to

summarize background most relevant to that outlined in the position announcement.

Spanning some 27 years, my academic and organizational leadership career has been one of expanding

professional responsibilities and experiences, evolving from research/teaching faculty to college dean

and executive director of a federally and state-funded institute. I have been a tenured faculty at three

universities – Brandon University, the University of Maine (Orono), and Université Laval (Québec,

Canada), where I was appointed professeur titulaire. In 2004, I was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to

teach and conduct research at the Institute of Forestry in Pokhara, Nepal. After a very successful tenure

as Dean of the School of Forestry and Natural Resources at Paul Smith’s College, a small, rural college

with strong applied degree programming located in the Adirondacks of New York State, I declined a

three-year contract extension there to assume the position of executive director of a watershed

restoration institute housed at New Mexico Highlands University, where I reported directly to the

university’s president and had the opportunity to engage in higher level administrative responsibilities,

especially the development of partnerships with external stakeholders, businesses and elected officials,

including local and state representatives and US congressmen and senators.

I have over twenty years of experience in academic administration, including my current position as

Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer at Penn State University’s Greater Allegheny campus. My

experiences in academic administration have provided me with the opportunity to collaboratively

develop and lead academic programming at the certificate, two-year, baccalaureate and graduate levels,

as well as to reach out to develop successful partnerships with communities, businesses and

organizations external to the university. I have worked closely with college and program accreditation

organizations, including the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and have provided

testimony before the Council for Higher Education Accreditation in Washington, D.C., on issues related

to the accreditation of professional programming in natural resources.

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An astute budget manager, I have on several occasions played a significant role in helping guide an

institution through both difficult fiscal times as well as program growth and campus revitalization. I

would be glad to discuss in detail my role as a transformative leader and budget manager – including

growing funding by working closely with federal and state elected officials and reaching out to and

achieving strong support from alumni and friends of the institutions that I have served.

I have worked closely with faculty, student services, admissions offices and others to develop and

implement effective enrolment management strategies, including being actively involved in initiating

articulation agreements with high schools, community colleges and universities and developing

successful student retention strategies. During my tenure as Dean of Science at Brandon University,

enrolment in the STEM disciplines grew significantly, while other Faculties saw flat or declining

enrolments. Here at Penn State Greater Allegheny, a persistent trend in steep enrollment declines over

the past ten years has levelled off, with a significant increase in 2017-18 applications – a testament to a

collaborative, campus-wide effort to emphasize student success and improve enrollment.

Overall, I would describe my leadership style as energetic, inclusive, and goal-oriented. I view

transparency, communication and the harnessing of a community’s commitment, diversity, and

creativity as essential to the success of any collaborative effort. I have a reputation for developing

strong, multi-disciplinary teams; collaboratively assessing an issue; and setting goals and accomplishing

them – leading the president of one college to assert that I “accomplished more during my tenure as

dean than my two predecessors combined.” I have found that a combination of hard work, a positive

attitude, and a sense of humor helps to bring people together and move ideas and projects forward in

productive, more collaborative, ways.

As Dean of the Faculty of Science at Brandon University, I managed 60 full-time faculty members across

twelve professional and applied degree programs – including an interdisciplinary Master of Science

program and 3- and 4-year baccalaureate degree programs – as well as the budgets and infrastructure

that support the university’s teaching and research in the STEM disciplines. I initiated and led the effort

to develop the Faculty’s strategic plan and program plans for all science degree programs – neither of

which had previously existed in the Faculty of Science. I included students in the Faculty’s strategic

planning process, leading the president of the student union to recently write: “In my six years at BU I

have never seen a dean so student focused as you are. It is unheard of for a dean to be holding a forum

so students can have a say into the direction of the Faculty and I am impressed and I know that the

students have appreciated it … I think that you are great for this university.” Together, as a Faculty, we

have already accomplished several of the plan’s action items.

My work with entities external to the university community has included: developing productive

relationships with elected officials, from the local to the state and federal levels (including hosting two

US Senators and a US Congressman at my office and visiting their offices in Washington D.C.) that have

resulted in federal and state appropriations and sole source contracting; being actively involved with the

business community, including serving on the Agriculture Committee of the Brandon Chamber of

Commerce; developing partnerships with marginalized communities to deliver relevant academic

programming; developing a joint faculty position in Geology in partnership with another university; and

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interacting with state and federal agencies, resulting in a donation of over $1 million in laboratory

equipment and student scholarships.

As a scholar, I have been successful in securing public and private sector funding that has resulted in

authorship/co-authorship of over 100 scientific and technical papers, most published in peer-reviewed

journals as diverse as Ecological Restoration, Plant Disease, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote

Sensing, and Society and Natural Resources. I have given over 40 university guest lectures and research

presentations at both national and international conferences, including in China, France, Nepal, the

Dominican Republic, Croatia and across North America. I have taught courses at all levels of higher

education, from those counted toward two-year degrees and certificates to graduate level courses. I

have earned recognition for my scholarship and my teaching, including the endowed G. Pierce and

Florence Pitts Webber Outstanding Teacher Award (University of Maine, 2003) and the Faculty Research

Award, College of Agriculture and Forestry (West Virginia University, 1997).

I possess a broad, first-hand appreciation for the world community. For example, in 2004, I was posted

as a Fulbright Scholar in rural Nepal to teach and conduct research on the relationships between

community resource management and the alleviation of poverty and discrimination. On seven

occasions over the past eight years, most recently during the summer, 2015, I have been invited by the

US State Department’s Partners of the Americas program to work on projects in the Dominican Republic

related to forestry and agroforestry, curriculum development in higher education, natural resource

sustainability, and rural economic development. These relationships have resulted in several

memoranda of understanding for both the exchange of students and faculty and the articulation of

academic programs. Because of my work in the Dominican Republic, I was asked to lead two student

recruiting missions to several Caribbean countries.

In my current position as a Penn State University Chancellor, I am responsible for all phases of the

management of a very diverse campus of some 600 students, including business operations, enrollment

management, academic and student affairs, and development. Our academic programming is similar to

that found at Vermont Technical College, and includes education in engineering, information

technology, business, communications, psychology and criminal justice. I place a strong emphasis on

the importance of aligning our degree and certificate programming with labor market and student

demand, which will lead to our expanding our degree offerings in engineering. Similar to Vermont

Technical College, nearly half of our students are first-generation and a third or more are low-income.

As Chancellor and as a campus, we have embraced the challenge of making a Penn State education

relevant and accessible to all students and connecting with the communities that we serve.

I am very familiar with the state of Vermont, having worked as a forester there while living in Thetford.

In addition, my grandfather owned a farm in Shrewsbury where I spent some of my childhood. My

research while on the forestry faculty at the University of Maine faculty took me throughout northern

New England, including Vermont, on projects related to forestry, the intersection of forestry and

agriculture, and timber harvesting. While a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire, I also

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worked as a forest technician and conducted research on forestland that was then owned by

Glastenbury Timberlands in North Bennington.

Vermont Technical College’s combination of its rural location, student-centered mission, and hands-on

approach to education resonates strongly with me. Despite their often unique challenges across the

higher education landscape, the importance of small, rural, technical colleges to local communities and

businesses, the state and beyond cannot be overstated. As the son of an immigrant father who did not

finish high school, I understand the opportunities that Vermont Technical College offers many first-

generation and low income students to access higher education and, for many, “to beat the odds.”

A brief note on the timing of my application and interest in this position: While my relatively brief period

as Chancellor has been rewarding and we have made significant progress in the areas of enrollment

management, campus cohesion, and implementation of our strategic plan, I feel that a leadership

position such as this in a region and a state where I have both professional and personal connections

comes along infrequently. I view the position, President, Vermont Technical College, as an excellent fit,

a long-term, culminating career commitment and a unique opportunity for me to draw on my diverse

and successful organizational leadership background and experiences.

I look forward to the possibility of discussing the position, my background, and the future of Vermont

Technical College.

Sincerely,

Andrew Egan, Ph.D.

Andrew Egan, Ph.D.

Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer | Penn State University – Greater Allegheny | 4000 University Drive, McKeesport, PA 15132-7698 | Email: afe101@psu.edu | Phone: 412-738-5696 Education Ph.D. Forest Resources, Ph.D. Minor in Statistics, The Pennsylvania State University, University

Park, PA M.S. Natural and Environmental Resources, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH B.S. Psychology, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT Academic Administration and Organizational Leadership Experience Over the past twenty years my career in academic leadership has evolved from program coordinator to dean of academic units at two universities, director of a research and outreach institute, associate vice president, and chancellor and chief academic officer. Accomplishments include:

Successfully managing and leading academic units and complex organizations – from large,

diverse academic units to externally funded institutes.

Leading and participating in strategic planning and university and program accreditation

processes, including with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Astutely managing budgets of complex organizations that have resulted in collaboratively

defined strategic growth.

Developing productive relationships with partners and stakeholders, including US Senators

and Congressmen, state and local elected officials, business leaders, and public agencies.

Establishing research/outreach centers of excellence.

Initiating enrolment management strategies and relevant academic, professional and

applied programming.

Initiating and growing relationships with the international community, including with the

Fulbright Commission and USAID’s Partners of the Americas program.

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Attracting external funding from federal, state, provincial and private sources.

February 15, 2016 – present Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, Penn State University – Greater Allegheny Campus

Exercising responsibility for all phases of the management of a very diverse campus of some 600 students, including: business operations, enrollment management, academic and student affairs, and development.

Embracing the challenge of making a Penn State education accessible to all students and connecting with the communities that we serve.

Charging unit directors to develop and operationalize implementation plans that align with the campus strategic plan and to form unit advisory boards.

Working with the campus development office and external partners to grow funding for needy students.

Initiating and managing the development of a campus implementation plan.

Forming an ad hoc committee to develop recommendations related to the 2015 Penn State Sexual Misconduct Survey.

Developing a collaborative and cohesive international programming task force to serve current and recruit and retain future international students.

Creating a position in community engagement, including a community outreach “street team.”

Working with a campus Advisory Board to discuss and collaborate on strategic directions for the campus and better connect with external partners.

Connecting with area school districts to discuss collaborations between those districts and our campus.

Maintaining, improving and growing campus infrastructure.

Initiating a food pantry for needy students and their families.

Partnering with mayors and other local officials to establish a more effective presence in the Monongahela Valley, including plans to occupy space in the former YWCA in McKeesport in collaboration with that city.

Collaborating with the Penn State administration in University Park to develop an implementable plan for “campus revitalization” that will bring relevant academic programming and applied research and outreach to Penn State Greater Allegheny.

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Partnering with other campuses to offer relevant degree and non-degree programming in the region.

June 1, 2013 – July 1, 2016 Tenured Professor and Dean, Faculty of Science; Acting Associate Vice-President – Research (August 2014 – August 2015), Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.

Managing 60 faculty members across diverse degree programs – including a Master of Science program, BS programs in Geology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Disaster Management, and Environmental Science, BA and BS degree programs in Geography and Psychology, and a joint degree program in Engineering – as well as the budgets and infrastructure that support the university’s teaching and research in the STEM disciplines.

Initiating and leading the effort to develop the Faculty’s strategic plan and program plans for all science degree programs – neither of which had previously existed in the Faculty of Science. I have worked with faculty members to develop a common vision, and collaboratively set and achieve goals that have moved the Faculty of Science forward.

Meeting with groups of local business people, elected officials and students to understand their concerns and learn from their perspectives.

Collaborating with Science Faculty to develop degree programming in agriculture, geological engineering and applied psychology.

Working collaboratively with another university, I developed a jointly-funded faculty position that has been instrumental in building capacity and moving our strategic plan forward.

As Acting Associate Vice-President – Research, developing relationships with public and private sector entities that are external to the university community. In a short amount of time, I have built relationships that have helped the university better define relevant research directions and funding streams, including a recent donation of over $1 million in laboratory equipment and student scholarships.

June, 2010 – May 31, 2013 Executive Director, New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute, New Mexico Highlands University. As Executive Director of the NMFWRI, I reported directly to the President of New Mexico Highlands University and continued to develop an appreciation for and experience in aspects of organizational management associated with leadership positions at the highest levels of university administration, including:

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Managing and leading a federally and state-funded watershed restoration institute housed at New Mexico Highlands University.

Leading and engaging in collaborative strategic planning processes, including the initiation

and development of the NMFWRI’s first strategic plan.

Actively participating in legislative processes in both Washington D.C. and Santa Fe (the

state capitol), including developing constructive relationships with US Senators and

Congressmen, to enhance the work of the NMFWRI, its mission, and its stakeholders. This

resulted in significant annual appropriations from federal and state governments, as well

as sole source contracting with public agencies.

Developing effective partnerships with and outreach to diverse stakeholders, including

public, private, and Aboriginal entities, all levels of government, from municipal and

county to state, tribal, land grant and federal, as well as local and regional business

communities. Posted at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhSVLo86AgA.

Developing new programming that gained national exposure, including a credit-bearing

certificate that combined distance learning and experiential field instruction and resulted

in meaningful employment, especially for socially and economically marginalized

populations.

July, 2007 – July, 2010 Dean and Professor, School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Paul Smith’s College, NY, USA.

Managing and leading the School of Forestry and Natural Resources, consisting of seven degree programs, 20 faculty, and 500 students.

Working with faculty to establish and staff the research/outreach Center for Adirondack

Biodiversity and leading the collaborative, cross-disciplinary development and

implementation of a degree in Sustainability Studies that complemented the College’s

campus-wide sustainability initiatives.

Actively seeking, developing and implementing effective articulation agreements between

Paul Smith’s College and high schools and colleges in the northeastern US and abroad.

Promoting diversity and service learning on campus through the initiation and

development of the Community Outreach through Renewable Energy (CORE) program.

Posted at:

http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/510159.html?nav=5008 and

http://www.wcax.com/category/166239/video-landing-

page?clipId=2962392&autostart=true.

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Initiating and growing relationships with the international community, including with

USAID’s Partners of the Americas program, ultimately resulting in the exchange of

students and faculty between Paul Smith’s College and the Escuela Ambiental in

Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.

Participating in strategic planning and university and program accreditation processes,

including with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Society of American

Foresters, and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

During this period, I was also Associate Graduate Faculty and Faculty Associate, Department of Forest Management, University of Maine, Orono, Maine and Professeur associé, Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. January, 2005 –July, 2007 Tenured Professor (professer titulaire) and Canada Industrial Chair designee, Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. July, 2004 –January, 2005 Senior Fulbright Scholar, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal.

Research development; program review, and faculty development; taught courses in Community Forestry and Silviculture.

January, 1998 – August, 2004 Tenured Associate Professor of Forest Resources and Program Coordinator, Forest Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME.

Teaching, research, and service in forest science. Appointment: 50 percent research/50 percent teaching.

July, 1994 – December, 1997 Assistant Professor, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.

Teaching, research, and service in forest science. Appointment: 50 percent research/50 percent teaching.

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Program Development I have led the initiation and development of new academic programs, including:

B.S. in Sustainability Studies, Paul Smith’s College (2009);

Three two-year curricula (mencions) for the Escuela Nacional de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic (2010);

Twelve-credit Certificate in Ecological Restoration, New Mexico Highlands University (2012), intended primarily as outreach to Native American populations;

Master of Science in Environmental and Life Sciences, Brandon University (2013-present); and

Two-year curriculum, Técnico en Manejo de Recursos Naturales, Escueal Ambiental, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic (2015).

In addition, I have been an invited external reviewer for programs at the University of New Brunswick (Canada), Green Mountain College (Vermont), the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (Georgia), and Tribhuvan University (Nepal). Scholarship I have authored over 100 scientific and technical papers. Peer-reviewed journals in which I have published include: Ecological Restoration, Journal of Forestry, Plant Disease, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, and Society and Natural Resources. My research has focused on the interactions between silviculture and the environment and the socio-economic and ecological dimensions of watershed restoration. My most recent research published in refereed journals include (a full listing of my publications is available upon request): Egan, A. 2012. Characteristics of and challenges faced by logging businesses in southern New England. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 28(4):194-198. Bustos, O. and A. Egan. 2012. Soil compaction associated with four common harvesting methods in New England. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 28(4):180-185. Taggart, D. and A. Egan. 2012. Logging across borders and cultures: An example in northern Maine. Forest Products Journal. 61(7):561-569. Egan, A. and V. Estrada. 2013. Socio-economic indicators for forest restoration. Ecological Restoration. 31:303-316. Egan, A. 2014. Sampling intensities and sampling errors associated with pre-and post-treatment forest restoration monitoring: The Ute Valley inventory. Ecological Restoration. 32(1):11-13.

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Egan, A. 2014. The Collaborative Forest Restoration program: Lessons learned and implications for CFLRP. Ecological Restoration. 32(1):13-15. Egan, A. 2014. The best workers they had – Le bûcheron québécois in Maine’s north woods. Forestry Chronicle. 90(3):306-309 (May/June issue on Canadian Forest History). In addition, I have authored several commissioned reports, including a review of the Institute of Forestry in Pokhara, Nepal, and seven reports for Partners of the Americas related to work I have conducted there sponsored by the U.S. State Department (USAID). I have been an associate editor for two scientific journals and editor of several conference proceedings. Over 40 professional presentations, many invited, have taken me to universities and conferences in China, France, the Dominican Republic, Croatia and throughout North America. I have also been invited by Cornell University to present several webinars. Service to the Community I have performed countless services to professional and local communities. Some of the more relevant and recent of these contributions include:

Reviewed research proposals for the National Institutes for Health.

Invited to participate in several interviews with local and national media related to my research, including: two interviews with Channel 2, Bangor, ME; one interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC); three interviews with KFUN radio, New Mexico; and an interview with Agence Science-Presse (interview conducted in French).

Provided testimony to a committee of Maine’s State legislature on issues related to the state’s forestry sector.

Initiated and developed the course Peace Train as a way of promoting and celebrating diversity on campus.

Initiated and developed the Community Outreach through Renewable Energy (CORE) program that forged connections between a local food bank, needy families and college students.

Member, Alamo Navajo School Board, Inc., Partnership Team and formalized a partnership for workforce development between Alamo Navajo and the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute while I was Executive Director there.

Developed and implemented Memoranda of Understanding between the Escuela Ambiental, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, and Paul Smith’s College, NM Highlands University, the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute, and Brandon University for (a) the exchange of faculty; and (b) the matriculation of Escuela Ambiental graduates for degree completion.

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Initiated an MOU between NMHU and the Institute of Forestry (Tribuvan University), Pokhara, Nepal.

Arranged for and hosted one-hour visits by US Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and US Congressman Ben Lujan (NM) to the offices of the NMFWRI where I was Executive Director; invited to address the New Mexico State Legislature Water and Natural Resources Interim Committee on three occasions.

Presented to city councils and county commissioners, City of Las Vegas and San Miguel County, NM.

Provided testimony before the National Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in Washington, DC.

Served as a member of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Committee and Agriculture Committee.

Initiated and managed the multi-stakeholder Gallinas Partnership, focusing on watershed management, land use, economic development, and water availability in the Gallinas watershed.

Initiated MOUs for the exchange of students and faculty between the Escuela Ambiental (Dominican Republic) and Antigua State College and Brandon University during a visit to the DR and Antigua, March 22 – April 15, 2015.

Recognitions and Awards I am a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Fulbright Association, Society for Ecological Restoration, and the Canadian Institute of Forestry. In addition, I have been recognized for professional achievement in a number of ways, including (partial listing):

Faculty Research Award, College of Agriculture and Forestry, West Virginia University, 1997.

Outstanding Faculty Award, Society of American Foresters Student Chapter, University of Maine, 1999.

Vice-chair, Council on Forest Engineering, 2001-2002; Chair, Council on Forest Engineering, 2002-2003.

G. Pierce and Florence Pitts Webber Outstanding Forestry Teacher Award (an endowed award at the University of Maine). 2003.

After leaving my tenured position at the University of Maine, I was appointed Associate Graduate Faculty and Faculty Associate, University of Maine, by a unanimous vote of the faculty, 2004, and later elected to Adjunct Professor.

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Awarded a Senior Fulbright Scholar grant to teach and conduct research in community forestry at the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal, 2004.

After leaving my tenured position at l’Université Laval, I was elected professeur associé, Université Laval, by the faculté du Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Québec, Canada. May 5, 2008.

Invited on five occasions by USAID-funded Partners of the Americas Program to work in the Dominican Republic on projects related to resource management and economic development.

Escuela Ambiental, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, Board of Directors (Junta Directiva del Instituto Tecnico Superior de Medio Ambiente). 2011.

Co-Chair, Society of American Foresters National Educational Policy Review Committee. 2010-2013.

Invited to participate in ‘Rural Works,’ a ‘think tank’ related to rural development, Brandon, Manitoba. November 7, 2014.

Awarded a second Senior Fulbright Scholar grant to teach and conduct research in community forestry at the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara and Hetauda, Nepal, 2013-14.

Represented Brandon University at the annual meeting of University of the Arctic, Prince William, BC, Canada. June 2014.

Invited to be a member of Research Manitoba’s Research Advisory Committee for a three-year term. March 17, 2015.

Founding editor of GameChangers – an annual review of science, scholarly and creative works by Brandon University students and faculty, 2015. Posted at: https://www.brandonu.ca/research/files/Brandon-University-Gamechangers-Final-Online.pdf.

Invited to participate in Canada’s NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council) Leaders meeting in Ottawa. July 13, 2015.

Professional Development (highlights from past two years only)

Participated in the Center for Higher Education Research and Development two-day workshop on Integrated Planning and Budgeting, Ottawa, Canada. October 18-19, 2013.

Participated as the representative of Brandon University in meetings in British Columbia on the international, multi-university University of the Arctic. May 20-23, 2014.

Chosen to participate in the one week Senior University Administrators Course (SUAC), Banff, Alberta. June 13-20, 2014.

Participated in the conference, Stem Retention for Deans, Philadelphia, PA. November 20, 2015.

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Other Professional international travel (outside of the US and Canada): Croatia (1999), Nepal (2004), Sweden (2005), Morocco (2006), France (2008), China (2009), Dominican Republic (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016). Languages: English (native), French (functional), Nepali and Spanish (very little). Citizenship: United States