DUBOIS – Melanie Hatch, founding dean of the College of Engineering and Business at Gannon University in Erie, has been named chancellor and chief academic officer at Penn State DuBois effective Jan. 28. She follows Anita McDonald, who retired in December after nearly a decade as chancellor. Ping Werner, professor of engineering, has been serving as the campus’ interim chancellor and chief academic officer since Jan. 1.
“Dr. Hatch brings broad experience as an academic leader in higher education to Penn State. She has a strong background in program development and applied research,” said Madlyn Hanes, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses.
“Her accomplished service in senior administrative roles, including her collaborative work with industry and community partners, and her commitment to retaining a diverse student body and workforce, dovetails very well with ongoing efforts at Penn State DuBois. We look forward to her joining us as chancellor to build on the campus’ reputation for academic excellence and its strong presence in the region.”
Beginning in fall 2008, Hatch led efforts at Gannon University’s new College of Engineering and Business, overseeing the college’s six academic departments and a small-business development center. She led strategic planning and positioning initiatives for the college, and focused on building partnerships with local leaders in business and industry. She also led efforts to help the university more effectively recruit, retain and advance women faculty in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines.
“There is a great academic foundation in place at Penn State DuBois, and I am extremely excited to begin work at the campus and to join the DuBois community,” Hatch said. “I very much look forward to working with the campus’ dedicated and forward-looking team of faculty and staff to build upon an already robust slate of educational programs.”
Previous to her time at Gannon University, Hatch served as the dean of the College of Business at the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, Ind., beginning in 2006. There, she led efforts to revise the college’s master of business administration curriculum and implemented new concentrations in health care administration and business continuity. Hatch also has served as associate dean of the School of Business at Marymount University in Arlington, VA., where she directed Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in business administration; and as a full-time faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University and Miami University of Ohio.
Hatch earned a doctoral degree in management science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1994. She also earned a master’s degree in management science with a focus on operations research from the University of Dayton in 1989, and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a focus on computer science from Indiana University in 1983.
She maintains professional associations with the Decision Sciences Institute; the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science; and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. Hatch has served on boards and committees for numerous business and community organizations, including the Erie Technology Incubator, Ben Franklin Technology Partners and the Northwest Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center, among others.