MALVERN, Pa. — As chair of Penn State Great Valley’s Advisory Board, Dr. Cerise James is working to align board members and leverage their unique talents and networks for the benefit of the campus community. In this Q&A, she shared her journey to join the board, her inspiration and her vision for serving the campus and the broader business community.
Q: Why did you join Great Valley’s Advisory Board?
Dr. James: I earned my undergraduate degree from Penn State and wanted to give back to the community. But I live in Chester County, and University Park is far. So I wondered how to get engaged locally.
I work in the medical and pharmaceutical space, and I noticed that my colleagues often went to Great Valley for their master’s degrees. Those colleagues had a consistency in their education. They had up-to-date knowledge and excellent skills and wanted to advocate for more people to participate in the different degree programs to advance their careers.
At different events on campus, I got to know faculty and staff. I decided to join the board. It's been a great experience taking time to learn the community and the Great Valley ecosystem. As we met, I let people know that the board is here to be of service to faculty, staff and students, to support them and not hinder them.
When I joined the board, it was at a time of transition between chancellors. Chancellor and Dean Colin Neill maintained and continued to build the Great Valley community. My field of medicine and pharma is in a constant state of change, and we must adjust to changes quickly. The change Penn State Great Valley was undergoing then seemed a good time for me to help the board provide a calm, steady leadership voice to support the campus.
Q: What do you enjoy about serving on the board as chair?
Dr. James: So many things, especially the opportunity to work with great leaders. The board members all have an entrepreneurial spirit, which is so important for the growth and success of this campus. Each board member shared their story, showing that their paths are different, which I love. It’s not a homogenous mixture; it’s very heterogeneous.
I want to leverage all their talents in order for us to align to move forward. My role is to connect, to empower, to inspire and to create that space for the board members to shine in ways that we may have overlooked previously. Understanding what motivates individuals is key to success. If you understand their interests — what’s aligned with what they already want to do — everyone benefits.
I am very confident in what the students are learning on this campus. The students are the center for everything that we do as the board.
Q: What is your vision for Penn State Great Valley’s Advisory Board?
Dr. James: I’m considering how we can continue tapping into our board’s talents and the business community to create more opportunities for students. How do we expose students to our networks so they develop relationships to create their next opportunities? How do we bring students into our industries to complement what they learn in the classroom and to help them see how transferable their skills are to the real world?
By introducing students to our networks, we can create sturdy pipelines for internships and career advancement. A lot of those opportunities are based on who you know and how to properly apply for those roles. And board members, because of their tapestry of skills, can facilitate those networking discussions for the students.
I’m also considering how we can discover what’s next for industry, and how companies can leverage our institution’s expertise to help build for the future. The LionCage entrepreneurial pitch competition is helping people envision new opportunities. Great Valley is well positioned to provide solutions for what’s next.
Q: What motivates you to serve on the board?
Dr. James: I’m motivated to be of service. I enjoy the community at Penn State Great Valley. I enjoy seeing how things are evolving on campus for the betterment of faculty, staff and students.
I am very thankful for this board, the committee chairs, the chancellor, faculty, staff and students. They all inspire me to be my best and to bring my best.