UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Thirty-four faculty members from across Penn State have completed the fall 2025 cohort of the Penn State Emerging Academic Leaders (PSEAL) program, a University-wide initiative designed to prepare mid-career faculty for future leadership roles in academic units, colleges, and the broader University. This program is offered in collaboration with the Office of Faculty Affairs and Human Resources Talent Management.
PSEAL provides faculty the opportunity to explore leadership pathways, strengthen core leadership competencies, gain institutional perspective, and engage directly with senior academic leaders. Through leadership seminars, one-on-one mentoring, and self-directed learning, participants develop a personal leadership philosophy and an individualized action plan to guide their continued growth.
“Faculty in this year’s cohort demonstrated an exceptional commitment to reflective leadership and collaborative learning,” said Ann Clements, associate vice provost for Faculty Affairs. “They engaged deeply with institutional challenges, supported one another, and envisioned impactful ways to strengthen their academic communities. Their leadership will benefit Penn State for years to come.”
Each participant was paired with an experienced academic leader who served as a mentor across the semester, providing guidance, feedback, and institutional insight. Participants also contribute to faculty success more broadly by serving as mentors in the New Faculty Network.
Members of the Fall 2025 Emerging Academic Leaders cohort include:
Eileen Ahlin, professor of criminal justice, School of Public Affairs, Penn State Harrisburg, mentored by Leigh Ann Haefner, interim vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and associate professor of science education.
Darrell E. Bartholomew, associate professor of marketing, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg, mentored by Alan Rieck, associate vice provost and associate dean for Undergraduate Education.
Sekhar Bhattacharyya, associate teaching professor of mining engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, mentored by Zuleima T. Karpyn, associate dean for Graduate Education and Research.
David Boehr, professor of chemistry, Eberly College of Science, mentored by Jeff Adams, senior associate vice provost and senior associate dean for Undergraduate Education.
Freyca Calderon, associate professor of elementary and early childhood education and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, Penn State Altoona, mentored by Alicia Decker, professor and departmen head of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program.
Scott Collins, clinical professor of accounting and director of the One-Year MAcc Program, Smeal College of Business, mentored by Brian Cameron, associate dean for professional graduate programs and executive education.
Joanna DeFranco, associate professor of software engineering, Penn State Great Valley, and associate director of the Doctor of Engineering program, College of Engineering, mentored by Rick Brazier, dean of the University College and senior associate dean for faculty and research.
Daniel Eaton, associate teaching professor of nursing, Penn State Behrend, mentored by Rae Brown, associate dean for undergraduate education, Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing.
Hamid Emami-Meybodi, associate professor of energy and mineral engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, mentored by Eric Donnell, associate dean for research and professor of civil engineering.
Daniel Foster, associate professor of agricultural education, College of Agricultural Sciences, mentored by Sabine C. Klahr, vice provost for Penn State Global.
Raymond Gibney, professor of human capital management, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg, mentored by Maggie Slattery, assistant dean and director of general education.
Mark Gough, associate professor of labor and employment relations, the College of the Liberal Arts, mentored by Mark Morrison, associate dean for undergraduate studies
Charlene Gross, associate professor of theater and head of design and technology, School of Theatre, College of Arts and Architecture, mentored by Kathleen J. Bieschke, senior vice provost and interim dean for undergraduate education.
S. Ilgin Guler, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, College of Engineering, mentored by Shelley Stoffels, associate dean for faculty.
Teresa Hamilton, associate teaching professor of English, the College of the Liberal Arts, mentored by Elizabeth Parfitt, scholar in residence for writing and communication in the Writing Center and program assistant for the Program in Writing and Rhetoric and Stuart Selber, director of the Program in Writing and Rhetoric and digital education.
Mathias Hanses, associate professor of classics and Ancient Mediterranean studies, African studies, and African American studies, College of the Liberal Arts, mentored by Clarence Lang, Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts.
Lisa D. Iulo, professor of architecture and director of the Hamer Center for Community Design, College of Arts and Architecture, mentored by Doug Wolfe, associate vice president for Research, director of strategic initiatives within the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research.
Jill Kargo, associate teaching professor of nursing, Penn State Altoona, mentored by Michael Evans, assistant dean for undergraduate faculty development and innovation.
Scott E. Lindner, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Eberly College of Science, and co-director of the Center for Malaria Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, mentored by Jennifer Eury, associate dean for undergraduate education, Smeal College of Business.
Marcy Milhomme, associate teaching professor and co-assistant director of undergraduate studies for communication arts and sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts, mentored by Lynette Yarger, associate dean for equity and inclusion, Schreyer Honors College.
Nicholas Meisel, associate professor of engineering design and associate director of Engineering Design Graduate Programs, College of Engineering, mentored by Angela Linse, executive director, Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence.
Tami Mysliwiec, associate professor of biology; division head, science, Penn State Berks, mentored by Janelle Larson, division head and professor of agricultural economics.
Shaheen Pasha, associate teaching professor of journalism, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, mentored by Melissa Johnson, associate vice president and associate dean for undergraduate education.
Anna Peterson, associate professor of classics and Ancient Mediterranean studies, the College of the Liberal Arts, mentored by Robin Thomas, department head and professor of art history.
Nathan Piekielek, geospatial services librarian and professor of geography; head, Donald W. Hamer Center for Maps and Geospatial Information, University Libraries and Department of Geography, mentored by Jeffrey Hyde, associate dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and director of Penn State Extension.
Megan Riesmeyer, professor of clinical law and director of the Community Law Clinic, Penn State Dickinson Law, mentored by Danielle Conway, dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law.
Malika Richards, professor of management, Penn State Berks, mentored by Todd Migliaccio, vice chancellor and chief academic officer and professor of sociology.
Puneet Singla, professor of aerospace engineering and Harry and Arlene Schell Professor of Engineering, College of Engineering, mentored by Andrew Read, senior vice president for research and Evan Pugh University Professor.
Lorena Tribe, professor of chemistry, Penn State Berks, mentored by Ron Darbeau, chancellor and associate vice president for Commonwealth Campuses.
Megan Van Etten, associate professor of biology, Biology and Science Program coordinator, science discipline coordinator, Penn State Scranton, mentored by Greg Filbeck, vice chancellor and associate dean for academic affairs, Penn State Behrend.
Gwendolyn Walker, associate professor of theater, School of Theatre, College of Arts and Architecture, mentored by Beate Brunow, associate director and associate research professor at the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Penn State.
Elizabeth Barrall Werley, associate professor of emergency medicine, medical director of ED Observation Unit and assistant medical Director, adult ED, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine, mentored by George Blackall, vice dean for faculty and academic affairs.
Leslie Womeldorf, program director, Baccalaureate Nursing Program and associate teaching professor of nursing, Penn State Mont Alto, mentored by Michael Doncheski, interim special assistant in the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses.
Jill Wood, teaching professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, the College of the Liberal Arts, mentored by Daniel Newhart, assistant vice provost for the Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research.
Apply for fall 2026 cohort
Faculty interested in applying for the fall 2026 cohort may submit applications beginning in February 2026 on the Center for Faculty and Development website.