The Pennsylvania State University (“Penn State”), one of the country’s most highly regarded universities, seeks an experienced and visionary leader to serve as Associate Vice President, Corporate Engagement during a critical period marked by new leadership and an ambitious strategic plan. In this highly visible role, the AVP will engage with a broad set of stakeholders, including leadership, faculty, staff, students, and industry partners serving as a catalyst for economic growth and societal influence. Reporting to the Vice President for Development & Alumni Relations, the AVP will be charged with successfully engaging with corporate partners to develop essential workforce pipelines, addressing crucial R&D challenges, and fostering a vibrant innovation ecosystem. As Penn State harnesses its existing strengths as an engine of research, discovery, and economic development for the state, nation, and world, it needs an astute leader to effectively leverage its assets, collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders, and foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture with a strong sense of belonging.

The Associate Vice President, Corporate Engagement leads a core team of talented corporate engagement experts who help establish and maintain coordinated, multi-faceted industry relationships. Since Penn State is a complex organization that can be difficult to navigate, the Corporate Engagement Center (CEC) exists to make connections as corporations partner with the university. The experienced and dedicated staff works to understand industry partner goals and bring together the University’s resources across departments, offices, and services to help make the most mutually beneficial relationship possible. The CEC is a joint initiative of the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and the Office of University Development, working in partnership with Career Services.

Under the direction of the Associate Vice President, the CEC is supported by the Corporate Relations Committee who fosters a community of corporate engagement by gathering senior leadership from across the University committed to maximizing the benefits of strategically aligned, university-industry relationships and amplifying the mission and vision of the university. The extended team of corporate engagement professionals are embedded in colleges, campuses, and units across the University. The team represents the areas of holistic engagement and works closely with the Corporate Engagement Center to create and execute unified strategies for industry partners.

Specific responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Provide strategic oversight to the Corporate Engagement Center aligning the mission and vision with the University’s overarching strategic plan.

• Develop and champion PSU’s CEC vision, mission, and guiding principles in support of the University's core mission and strategic priorities.

• Serve as the face of CEC advancing relationships with the university community, partners, and external constituents leading the effort to establish, maintain, and communicate the portfolio of prioritized top strategic industry partners.

• Position Penn State as the go-to university for industry by effectively stewarding relationships with new and existing partners across the entire University.

• Identify prioritized, top-potential industry partners as well as develop and deploy cross-functional efforts to effectively engage them in the Penn State ecosystem.

• Substantially enhance the breadth and depth of industry engagement at PSU with a focus on corporate engagements that span various colleges and disciplines.

• Collaborate with key stakeholders across the university to maximize impact of corporate engagement on the entire university enterprise.

• Focus on mutually beneficial partnerships for corporations and PSU, identifying short and long-term value propositions aimed at maximizing the impact to both company and the university.

• Streamline the corporate engagement process by providing a seamless single point of contact for companies for all things Penn State, so that CEC makes links across the university for holistic engagement and ensures companies approaches are convenient and coordinated.

• Provide education and training to develop a community empowered to build relationships and effectively engage with industry at scale.

• Play a key role in positioning PSU for large federal proposals where corporate partnership and leadership is either required or key to succeed.

• Focus on multi-faceted industry partnerships involving philanthropy, research, education, student success, internships, and workforce needs.

• Grow industry-sponsored research – connecting companies to university expertise and facilities to solve complex, technical problems while ensuring companies understand how research partnership with Penn State can accelerate their business.

• Promote opportunity for companies to locate office, manufacturing and research operations at PSU campuses including University Park, providing close access to PSU scientific, engineering, technology and business resources, as well as access to state-of-the-art conference facilities.

• Represent industry needs in discussions around curriculum development and instructional offerings.

• Provide a menu of options for student engagement (e.g., classes, clubs, internships, scholarships) when these are part of holistic relationship with strategically important companies.

• Partner with President Bendapudi supporting and following up on industry relationships identified through her personal connections and networks.

• Assist companies with talent recruitment. With nearly 100,000 students and more STEM majors than any other university in the US, PSU is poised to be the first stop for all employers.

• Champion PSU’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts.

• Lead a highly effective and proactive team who serve as collaborative partners working towards strategic continuous improvement and service excellence in support of enterprise-wide endeavors.

• Foster collaborative relationships by maintaining transparency and regular communication with the University community on corporate engagements.

• Develop and implement metrics and key performance indicators to determine ongoing progress against University goals as well as benchmarking efforts with peer institutions.

Founded in 1855, Penn State established its land-grant mission to include teaching, interdisciplinary research, and public service to support the citizens of the commonwealth. In collaboration with industrial, educational, government, and agricultural partners, the University translates, disseminates, integrates, and applies knowledge to the benefit of society. Today, the University is a leader in interdisciplinary research, learning, and engagement that facilitates innovation, embraces inclusion and sustainability, and inspires achievements that will impact the world in positive and enduring ways.

The University’s 24 campuses across the commonwealth put a Penn State education within practical reach of nearly every Pennsylvanian. In fact, more than 95 percent of Pennsylvania residents live within a 30-mile radius of a Penn State campus and about 70 percent of Penn State’s undergraduates are Pennsylvania residents. True to its land-grant mission and its commitment to access and affordability, approximately 21% of undergraduate students are first-generation college students and approximately 22% are Pell Grant-eligible. The Penn State Alumni Association is the world’s largest organization of its kind, with 174,000 dues-paying members and 759,000 living alumni worldwide — more than half of whom live and work in Pennsylvania.

Led by President Neeli Bendapudi, Penn State is committed to the shared governance of the University. The Board of Trustees, as Penn State’s governing body, guides the policies, goals and procedures of the University while also reviewing and approving the University’s budgets. The board works in close partnership with Bendapudi to advance the mission of the institution while acting in the best interests of the University community. The board’s makeup includes representation from alumni, faculty, students, Pennsylvania business and industry, appointees by the governor and agricultural societies from across the commonwealth. Penn State is committed to the shared governance of the University.

Penn State’s leadership — which includes President’s Council — works closely with the University’s Academic Leadership Council, Council of Academic Deans and Council of Commonwealth Chancellors, which are comprised of academic leaders from colleges and campuses across Penn State, as well as stakeholder groups including the Penn State Faculty Senate, University Staff Advisory Council, and student government organizations.

Holding the highest rating for interdisciplinary research universities by the Carnegie Classification and ranking 28th among top public universities in 2023 by U.S. News & World Report, Penn State is a comprehensive academic institution with a $8.4 billion annual operating budget. Operating and functioning as one University that is geographically distributed, Penn State enrolls approximately 88,000 students on 24 campuses in Pennsylvania and online via its World Campus. The University has more than 35,000 full-time faculty and staff, and more than 275 baccalaureate degree programs.

As a member of the Association of American Universities, Penn State offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional degree programs across 24 campuses and the online World Campus. At the University Park campus, Penn State’s largest campus and its administrative hub, undergraduate and graduate degree programs are administered in 12 colleges: The College of Agricultural Sciences, College of Arts and Architecture, Smeal College of Business, Bellisario College of Communications, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Development, College of Information Sciences and Technology, College of the Liberal Arts, the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, and the Eberly College of Science, in addition to the Schreyer Honors College, The Graduate School and Penn State Law. In addition, there are 19 other campuses statewide, along with Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the College of Medicine; Penn State Dickinson Law; the Pennsylvania College of Technology; the Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies; and the World Campus.

With a world-class research enterprise grounded in interdisciplinary teamwork and a dedicated group of researchers and scholars, Penn State’s breadth of expertise allows the University to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the commonwealth, the nation, and the world. Research expenditures have increased steadily during the past decade, and the University’s research expenditures reached a record during fiscal 2022-23, totaling $1.239 billion, an overall 14% increase from the previous year. This places Penn State among a select group of interdisciplinary research universities nationally, and includes a record $762 million in federal funding in fiscal year 2023, in addition to funds from a combination of private funders, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and University sources.

Penn State is home to more than 200 interdisciplinary research centers, laboratories, and institutes, many of which are nationally or globally known. The University’s interdisciplinary research institutes include the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Institutes of Energy and the Environment, Materials Research Institute, Penn State Cancer Institute, and the Social Science Research Institute. With more than 6,300 full-time faculty members and 1,500 part-time instructors across all locations, Penn State’s distinguished faculty members are experts in their fields and educators dedicated to advancing teaching and research and creating new knowledge to solve the world’s most pressing problems across a range of disciplines.

Penn State strives to create transformational experiences for students, faculty, and staff across our twenty-four Commonwealth Campuses and online World Campus. President Neeli Bendapudi has established a vision for Penn State central to advancing our land-grant mission to be a unique source of education, success, and lifelong opportunity for students from all walks of life; professional achievement for our faculty and staff; and an engine of research, discovery, and economic development for Pennsylvania, the nation, and world. Penn State is pursuing the following goals and priorities over the next five years: Enhance Student Success, Grow Interdisciplinary Research Excellence, Increase Land-Grant Impact, Foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Transform Internal Operations, and Transform Health Through Academic and Clinical Synergy.

As one of the most effective fundraising operations in higher education today, Penn State has led four highly successful campaigns. Most recently, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence” raised more than $2.2 billion over six years — showcasing the strength and spirit of the community. As the most successful fundraising campaign in the University’s history, “A Greater Penn State” rallied alumni and friends around a vision of Penn State as a leader in higher education. Reimagining the land-grant mission for a new era of rapid change and global connections, the campaign was focused on three core imperatives: Open Doors, Create Transformative Experiences, and Impact the World. Planning is now underway for the University’s next major fundraising effort, which will be guided and inspired by the leadership of President Bendapudi.

Penn State’s more than 1,000 student organizations, and the Student Affairs staff who support them, are helping to make the University a vibrant place to live, learn and grow by enabling students across every campus to have transformative experiences in research, student engagement, community leadership, study abroad, internships, arts and performances, and more. Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics is home to approximately 800 student-athletes participating in 31 varsity programs (16 men’s and 15 women’s), and the University has a history of success in competition and in the classroom.

A wide array of information about the University is available through its online Fact Book, including information on students, faculty, and staff, budget and finances, interdisciplinary research expenditures, and alumni and development activities.

 

The University Park campus, and Penn State’s administrative hub, is located in State College, PA, a classic college town in the central part of the state. Situated in a region of fresh air and clean water, green mountains and broad valleys, sprawling farms and quaint towns, State College is ranked in the top 20 of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s “Fifty Smart Places to Live.” The community is also consistently rated among the safest in the nation.

The University Park campus hosts 46,000 students and employs 22,000 people. Among several popular cultural facilities are the 16,000-seat Bryce Jordan Center, an entertainment arena, the Center for the Performing Arts, one of Pennsylvania’s major cultural resources, the 107,300-seat Beaver Stadium and other sport facilities, and the Palmer Museum of Art, all located on the Penn State campus. Off campus, the Penn State Downtown Theater hosts a broad array of national and international performing acts in music, theater, comedy, and more.

For the last 50 years, the College of Medicine and its academic medical hub, the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, have served as central Pennsylvania’s only university medical center and medical school. Together, they have played a prominent role in meeting the region’s needs for tertiary and quaternary medical care and have developed into one of the region’s largest employers and economic drivers. Hershey Medical Center is part of Penn State Health — a comprehensive university health system serving patients and communities across 29 counties in central Pennsylvania. The system employs more than 18,000 people.

The $3.6 billion Penn State Health enterprise includes the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Children’s Hospital — the only level 1 pediatric trauma center in the region — and Penn State Cancer Institute based in Hershey; four adult acute care community hospitals in Cumberland, Lancaster and Berks counties; and more than 3,000 physicians and direct care providers at 90+ unique medical office locations across the region. Additionally, the system jointly operates various health care providers, including Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Hershey Outpatient Surgery Center, Hershey Endoscopy Center and Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute. In December 2017, Penn State Health partnered with Highmark Health to facilitate the creation of a value-based, community care network in the region.

Enrolling its first students in 1967, the Penn State College of Medicine confers the doctor of medicine degree, as well as many graduate degrees in conjunction with the Penn State Graduate School. The College of Medicine has more than 1,700 students and trainees in medicine, nursing, other health professions, and biomedical research at two locations in Pennsylvania: the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey and a regional medical campus at University Park. There are approximately 1,400 faculty in the College of Medicine, and the college has enjoyed tremendous growth during the past decade. The college boasts a portfolio of more than $100 million in funded research annually. Projects range from development of artificial organs and advanced diagnostics to groundbreaking cancer treatments and understanding the fundamental causes of disease.

Penn State works to be great neighbors. The University has generated billions of dollars for the state economy and serves communities at the grassroots level. With 24 campuses throughout Pennsylvania, Penn State represents a strong economic engine. It is, among other things, a major employer and a source of students, faculty and staff who help drive local economies and support nonprofits in their communities to benefit those in need.

Penn State continues to honor its agricultural roots with its wide-ranging extension efforts, providing educational programs, grants and support to farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs and communities across the state.

Statewide, Penn State’s interdisciplinary research and development expenditures have increased steadily over the past decade, contributing to the economy through innovation and technology transfer. Federal dollars for interdisciplinary research and development have increased substantially over the past ten years. Likewise, industry-sponsored interdisciplinary research continues to on an upward trend.

Penn State generates more than $11.6 billion annually in economic impact for the Commonwealth. Penn State is a leader in providing entrepreneurial education, services and support to students, faculty, staff and local community members across the state. As part of its Invent Penn State initiative, the University has made a $30 million investment and funded 21 innovation hubs designed to accelerate the transfer of new ideas into useful products and bolster entrepreneurship and economic development in communities surrounding its campuses across Pennsylvania.

Penn State Extension is an educational organization that gives people in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties access to the University’s resources and expertise. They offer practical how-to education and problem-solving assistance based on University interdisciplinary research. Penn State strives to help people make informed decisions to improve their lives, businesses, and communities.

Penn State’s outreach and online programs provide educational and service programs to more than a million Pennsylvania households annually. Initiatives range from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute; Shavers Creek Environmental Center; WPSU, a PBS television and NPR local radio station; and support and collaboration with the Penn State Centers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Engagement is at the heart of the Penn State work experience. It takes shared ownership, by every team member, of Penn State’s inspiring set of core values:

• Integrity

• Respect

• Responsibility

• Excellence

• Discovery

• Community

By living these values, the people of Penn State champion a work culture of mutual respect, receptivity to new ideas, assertive helpfulness, and other characteristics that promote successful, satisfying job performance. Reflecting an emphasis on putting others’ needs first the University work culture also serves to facilitate a University-wide goal: becoming the model of a student-centered university.

Penn State is committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) across its campuses and to fostering and sustaining an environment of respect and inclusion for all faculty, staff, students, and members of the communities the University serves. Penn State strives to assertively incorporate these values into interdisciplinary research, teaching, learning, outreach, assessment, operations, and decision making at all levels of the University. Advancing DEIB across the University is a strategic goal of President Bendapudi, who has outlined the following specific areas of focus:

• Enhance recruitment of underrepresented students and close gaps in graduation rates across backgrounds and identities.

• Further diversify Penn State’s faculty across all ranks and tracks.

• Create robust communities of support for faculty of all backgrounds.

• Create equitable professional development and advancement opportunities for staff at all levels.

Candidates should hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (PhD or a master’s degree is strongly preferred) along with a minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in corporate relations either in a complex academic environment or as a university relations liaison in a large corporate setting is preferred. In addition, they should have a depth of experience in corporate engagement. A deep understanding and keen appreciation for the academic and research missions of a public institution along with the importance of education, scholarship, workforce development, economic development, innovation, and shared governance is highly desired. The successful candidate will also have:

• Strategic vision to develop and implement an effective corporate engagement strategy to deliver upon key measurables and metrics within a large, complex and highly matrixed organization.

• An entrepreneurial and creative approach to building and increasing corporate partnerships coupled with the ability to strategically allocate and manage resources during a period of transformation and growth.

• A dedication to and understanding of the skills required to build relationships with diverse communities as well as demonstrated ability to bring together a broad set of constituents around a common goal.

• An unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a central tenant of PSU.

• Exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills coupled with the ability to inspire students, faculty, staff, external supporters, and key industry partners.

• A collaborative and transparent style necessary to foster shared governance and collaboration.

• Ability to thrive in the public sector with well developed political savvy and diplomacy.

• Adept at representing PSU’s mission and goals across a broad and diverse audience.

• Impeccable writing, presentation skills, and ability to leverage technology.

• A passion for higher education coupled with an appreciation and understanding of complex institutions.

• A commitment to professional development, learning, and continuous improvement.

 

Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of interest that highlight the applicant’s personal vision and relevant leadership experience. To ensure full consideration, inquiries, nominations and applications should be submitted electronically in confidence to: