UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Department Executive Officers (DEO) program has gained five additional fellows from the Penn State ranks.
The BTAA is the academic consortium of the Big Ten universities and the United States’ preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. Through its leadership program, participants who have demonstrated exceptional ability through university administrative assignments or other significant positions in public, private, or professional organizations are aided in further developing their leadership and managerial skills.
Penn State’s participants for the 2025 program were selected based on their significant contributions and potential to achieve even more as university leaders. The participants are:
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Dave Abler, head, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education; professor of agricultural, environmental and regional economics and demography, College of Agricultural Sciences
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John Affleck, head, Department of Journalism; Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society, John Curley Center for Sports Journalism, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
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Luis F. Ayala H., head, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering; William A. Fustos Family Professor, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
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Aquila Kikora Franklin, director (as of July 1), School of Theatre; professor of theater/dance, College of Arts and Architecture
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Farshad Rajabipour, head, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; John A. and Harriette K. Shaw Professor; director of CIAMTIS University Transportation Center, College of Engineering
The DEO Fellows will participate in a seminar, Nov. 5-7, at the Big Ten Conference Center in Chicago. The event will focus on departmental leadership skills, the challenges facing DEOs and broader issues.
For more information about this program, visit the BTAA Department Executive Officers (DEO) Program and the Office of Faculty Affairs website.