A psychologist and former editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, an engineer with 30 years experience in higher education, and a multi-lingual Russian literature extraordinaire — USF St. Petersburg may find itself with any of these three candidates as its next regional chancellor.
Ron Brown considers himself a “transformational leader” who will roll up his shirtsleeves to better the university.
Brown most recently served as senior vice president of Academic Affairs and provost at Wayne State University, which has about 30,000 students and is its own independent university, not a regional campus like USFSP.
But Brown sees strengths in being a regional campus, explaining that partnerships within a large university system can serve as recruitment tools to attract students, faculty and grants.
With an educational background in psychology, Brown says he is people-oriented and knows how people think and feel and what they will find exciting. He has more experience as a professor than an administrator, and feels he can understand and relate to the needs of faculty members.
During his time as an administrator at Temple University, Brown secured multiple large gifts for the school while focusing on research and philanthropy. However, the successes of his many students and those he has mentored are what make him most proud.
As USFSP’s chancellor, Brown said he would work to ensure everything was “top of the line.” He would impose a student-centric academic focus, while accentuating the school’s core strengths and capitalizing on them.
Though he has never worked in Florida, Brown’s career as an educator has brought him here many times. He feels his love for sailing, theatre and museums will be welcomed by St. Petersburg’s urban, waterfront location.
Ralph Rogers said a campus like USFSP is just what he has been looking for. Currently serving as vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and a mechanical engineering professor at Purdue University Calumet, a regional campus with about 10,000 students, Rogers believes regional campuses are “where the action is” in higher education.
“I see higher education at regional campuses as a way to transform lives,” he said, explaining his belief that regional campuses serve the student body in a way that larger, central campuses cannot. He believes the nature of regional campuses allow them to focus on affordability, accessibility and quality.
USFSP’s relationship with the USF System is similar to that of Purdue Calumet’s with its main campus. Rogers feels it is important to establish relationships with the main campus in order enjoy the benefits that come from being part of a larger university system.
The only candidate who has worked in the state, Rogers held the position of interim chair and associate professor of industrial engineering and management at the University of Central Florida from 1989 to 1998.
One of Roger’s greatest career accomplishments was establishing a college of engineering at East Carolina University — a feat that required many internal and external battles to achieve. But Rogers said he and his faculty beat the odds and established the college in record time.
“I’m really proud of the faculty that I’ve gotten to work with and many of the students,” Rogers said. “It’s a proud moment getting that phone call from a student saying thank you. I see my faculty and students succeeding and nothing could make me more proud than that.”
If offered the position at USFSP, Rogers said he would focus on determining where opportunities for growth lay in order to meet the needs of the region.
“My goal is to make whatever we do a program of quality that employers will want to see graduates in,” he said.
Sophia Wisniewska was not actively seeking a new position — but she decided the opportunity to be USFSP’s chancellor would be a good match for her qualifications.
Wisniewska is the chancellor at Penn State University’s regional Brandywine campus, which has about 1,700 students. She has also worked at Temple University at one of its suburban campuses — separate from the main campus where Brown worked — with about 4,300 students.
Wisniewska sees a quality of balance within small campuses, which she described as “the best of both worlds.”
“There are many benefits to being part of a large state school,” she said. “It’s just a matter of seeking them out.”
Making a difference in the lives of her students, helping them grow and enhancing the learning environment are what Wisniewska considers her greatest accomplishments.
At USFSP, Wisniewska sees opportunities in health care, the biomedical field, marine science, business and hospitality. She wants to learn more about the faculty and business leaders in the community to see where the school’s opportunities for growth lie.
A self-described “Pink Floyd nut,” Wisniewska loves music and the arts. She is also a health enthusiast with lots of energy — made evident by her recent trek across Pennsylvania.
She believes USFSP is the perfect size and has a talented and caring faculty, and is impressed with the opportunities that exist for students here.
The three finalists will be on campus over the next two weeks to meet with faculty, staff, administrators, students and community representatives.
Students can meet with Rogers on Feb. 12, Brown on Feb. 15 and Wisniewska on Feb. 19. Each meet and greet will be held in the University Student Center Ballroom 1 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
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