Susan Speece Approved As Dean At Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley
January 19, 2001
University Park, Pa. — Penn State’s Board of Trustees today (Jan. 19) approved the appointment of Susan Phillips Speece, associate dean of instruction and dean of the Division of Mathematics, Science and Engineering at Fresno City College as Dean of the Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College and Campus Executive Officer of the Berks Campus effective February 1

"Dr. Speece has an impressive background as an academic administrator and is nationally recognized for her contributions to science education," said Rodney A. Erickson, executive vice president and provost. "We are delighted that she has agreed to take on the leadership of the Berks-Lehigh Valley College."

Named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) this year, her key areas of scholarship include AIDS and AIDS education, cell adhesion proteins, and ecological diversity. Her specialties in science education -- most recently funded by a $4.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for the preparation of grade 7-12 science and math teachers -- include teacher effectiveness, college science teaching and alternative assessments.

Speece joined Fresno City College in 1995. She is responsible for the operation, budget and more than 120 faculty and staff of the Division of Mathematics, Science and Engineering. From 1984 to 1995, she was chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and professor of biology at Anderson University. She has also taught at Ball State University and Purdue University.

The author of more than 30 publications, Speece has also made more than 75 professional presentations and keynote addresses, and has received funding for 14 grants, including those from NSF, the Lilly Foundation and the Commission on Higher Education.

She has served as chair or officer of many professional associations and societies including chair of the National Biology Assessment Tool Development Task Force and a member of the Board of Directors for the Q Section of AAAS. She also was selected as a national expert on standards-related assessment tools for NSF.

At Fresno City College, she is chair of the accreditation committee on integrity, the Strategic Planning Governance Committee, the Cultural Diversity Taskforce and the Development Review Master Plan Goal. She also serves on many college and community boards and committees.

Speece earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Purdue University in biology and chemistry and biology, respectively; her Ed.D. degree in education and biology from Ball State University, and completed an NSF post-doctoral fellowship at Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis, where she investigated calcium proteins.

The Berks-Lehigh Valley College is comprised of two campuses, the Lehigh Valley campus in Fogelsville near Allentown and the Berks campus in Reading. It has a combined enrollment of 2,890 students and offers eight associate degree programs and seven baccalaureate degree programs (applied psychology, electro-mechanical engineering, business, information sciences and technology, culture studies, kinesiology and science). The college also offers the first two years of most baccalaureate degrees that may be completed at University Park and other Penn State campus locations.

"I am both honored and thrilled to have been selected by the faculty, staff and administration to join forces with the leadership team of Penn State’s Berks-Lehigh Valley College," says Dr. Speece. "I look forward to tapping the rich resources of the faculty, staff, and community to open doors of exciting opportunities for our students."

Contact: Christy Rambeau 814-865-7517 or cmr7@psu.edu by email