Francis Achampong, who has served as chancellor of Penn State Mont Alto since 2013, has announced his retirement from Penn State, effective June 28.
MONT ALTO, Pa. — Serving 43 years in higher education, 22 at Penn State, Francis Kofi Achampong, chancellor at Penn State Mont Alto, has announced his retirement, effective June 28. 2002-2010年担任欧博体育官网蒙奥图分校学术事务主任, interim chancellor and then chancellor at Penn State Fayette (2010-2013) and, finally, returning to Penn State Mont Alto as chancellor (2013-present), 阿昌蓬任期的基石是在教师之间建立社区, staff and students; implementing new programs to support students and promote student success; and providing leadership to direct the campuses into the future of learning and career preparedness.
“在Francis Achampong的领导下，欧博体育官网Mont Alto发生了翻天覆地的变化,” said Margo DelliCarpini, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor. “Francis’ steadfast commitment to improving the student experience, practicing the values of sustainability, and engaging in the broader community has served to distinguish the college. 他勤奋工作，创造了一个充满活力的校园社区，学生可以在一个充满爱心的环境中茁壮成长, inclusive and discovery-rich learning environment.”
Known to all as “Dr. A,” Achampong has devoted his career to the success of students, resulting in countless signature initiatives, including: launching a mentoring program for tenure-track faculty; seeing new faculty he hired receive tenure and promotion, including five international faculty; enriching the diversity on campus; collaborating with the Mont Alto Faculty Senate to develop guidelines for hiring and reviewing part-time faculty that became a model for the Commonwealth College, the predecessor of the University College; creating the Jumpstart Program, designed to help newly admitted, underprepared students have a good start with summer online instruction and year-round academic support and mentoring; working with all campus stakeholders at Penn State Fayette to build a sense of community during a tough time of transition after the death of their chancellor; partnering with the director of campus development to help raise more than $4 million in the "For the Future" campaign, 118% over the campaign goal; partnering with the director of campus development at Penn State Mont Alto to raise $7.在“21世纪卓越的大欧博体育官网”运动中投入了300万美元，占其5美元的142%.2 million goal; collaborating with the Penn State Mont Alto campus community to be the first campus to devote a standalone space to student-veterans; and elevating the role of director of athletics to the chancellor’s cabinet, given the role athletics play in student recruitment and retention. 阿昌蓬还领导将联合健康(健康科学)指定为欧博体育官网蒙奥图分校的利基, 提供为期两年的职业治疗助理和物理治疗师助理课程, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and plans to add a bachelor’s degree in biobehavioral health. 他牵头建造了一座耗资1300万美元的最先进的联合健康大楼，于2022年开放, 增加校园卫生保健学位组合，现在包括卫生政策和管理理学学士学位和职业科学理学学士学位, with a master of science in occupational therapy slated to begin in fall 2026.
In addition to his work on the Mont Alto and Fayette campuses, Achampong has served the University on multiple committees, including the Budget Planning Taskforce, Campus Academic Review Coordinating Committee (CARCC, a subgroup of the Core Council), Middle States Accreditation Committee, Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee, Standing Joint Committee on Tenure, University Access Committee, Facilities and Academic Units Naming Committee, the Commission on Adult Learners (CAL), and the Facilities Resources Committee. He has chaired the Academic Leadership Council (ALC), the Council of Commonwealth Chancellors (CCC), and CAL. 他还曾在Southcentral Workforce Investment Board为社区服务, Waynesboro Hospital board, the Montessori Academy board, Summit Health’s Finance Committee, 他还在钱伯斯堡和韦恩斯伯勒的教堂里志愿担任成人主日学教师.
“Having had the opportunity to work with Dr. A. during his entire tenure at Penn State Mont Alto, 我可以肯定地证明他的领导能力和对校园和周围社区的显著影响,” said Mike Ross, 富兰克林县地区开发公司总裁，欧博体育官网蒙阿尔托咨询委员会和校园战略规划委员会的长期成员. “他领导了一系列工作，从创建更有效地符合当地劳动力发展需求的新课程, to advancing entrepreneurism via LaunchBox, 到耗资1300万美元新建的最先进的联合医疗大楼. Moreover, Mont Alto consistently exceeded its University campaign goals. But most importantly, Dr. A. 一直以学生为中心，并致力于确保每个PSUMA毕业生都有机会最大限度地提高他们的个人学术经验. He will be missed.”
阿昌蓬坚信教育的力量可以改善生活，打破障碍. Having contracted polio at an early age while he was growing up in Ghana, he believes his own life is a testament to the power of education. He received his LL.B. 加纳大学(法学学士)二等(高级)荣誉学位(相当于优等), his LL.M. (法律硕士)和博士学位，毕业于伦敦大学国王学院和东方与非洲研究学院, respectively, and a second LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. 他获得了哈佛大学教育研究生院颁发的教育管理和领导证书，是美国教育委员会(ACE)研究员. 他是纽约和维吉尼亚律师协会的成员，并正式获得美国最高法院律师资格.
“我很感激，也很幸运有机会和这么多有才华的人一起工作，并对我们所服务的学生的生活产生了积极的影响,” said Achampong. “I wish Penn State Mont Alto and Penn State the absolute best.”
Click here to read more about Achampong’s tenure at Penn State.
