SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Cory Scherer, assistant director of academic affairs, program coordinator for psychology, and associate professor of psychology at Penn State Schuylkill, has been named interim director of academic affairs at the Schuylkill campus, effective July 1. Scherer has been serving as assistant director of academic affairs since his appointment to the position in July 2017.
“Dr. Scherer is a strong leader who is student-focused, a mentor to junior colleagues, and a well-respected colleague across campus. He has served as the student research poster conference coordinator and established a subject pool for psychology research across Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses,” said Darcy Medica, interim chancellor for Penn State Schuylkill.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Valerie Schrader for her excellent and tireless work as the interim director of academic affairs this past year,” Medica added.
Scherer will assume the leadership role as Schrader returns to her role as associate professor of communications, and co-coordinator of the honors program. Schrader also will begin a sabbatical during the fall 2018 semester that she had postponed while serving as the interim director of academic affairs.
Scherer joined the faculty at Penn State Schuylkill in 2007. Prior to joining the campus, he was a visiting professor at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, following a year as a part-time instructor at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to serve as the interim director of academic affairs. I look forward to enhancing the already strong academic experience at Penn State Schuylkill for both students and faculty,” Scherer said.
A recipient of both the Penn State Schuylkill Faculty Service Award and the Penn State Excellence in Teaching Award, Scherer also received a Schuylkill Advisory Board Research Award and was a two-time recipient of Penn State’s President’s Fund for Research, which is focused on engaging undergraduates in research.
Scherer’s research interests include social cognition, evolutionary psychology and positive psychology. On these topics, he has published numerous articles and presented at national conferences.
Scherer earned his bachelor of arts from Albion College in Albion, Michigan. He earned both a master of arts degree and a doctorate degree in social and industrial/organizational psychology from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
Scherer and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Lake Wynonah, Pennsylvania, with their two daughters, Emelia and Allison, and their son, Elijah.