UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — SeriaShia Chatters, associate vice provost for Educational Equity in the Office of Educational Equity and adjunct associate teaching professor of counselor education in the College of Education, has been named interim vice provost for Educational Equity at Penn State, effective Aug. 1.
Chatters succeeds Marcus Whitehurst who has announced he will transition from his role as vice provost for Educational Equity to a new role on July 31. Chatters will be the first black woman to hold this role.
“Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging continue to be a priority to me, and to our entire leadership team,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “Given these recent leadership transitions, as well as the national landscape, I want to be clear that we will not waver in our institutional commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus community where all of our students, faculty, and staff feel that they belong. This is fundamental to our values, to our land-grant purpose and to my strategic goals for the University’s future.”
As part of continued investment in fostering equity and belonging, this upcoming academic year Penn State plans to create a new leadership role at the vice president level to support the University community in key DEIB priority areas supporting students, faculty and staff across Penn State’s 24 campuses. More information about this position will be forthcoming.
As interim vice provost for Educational Equity, Chatters will oversee the office’s 13 units and work collaboratively with offices and teams across Penn State to foster an equitable and inclusive culture.
“I'm thrilled Seria will be taking on this critical role. She is an exceptional leader and brings a unique perspective and background as an educator, researcher and administrator,” said Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Tracy Langkilde. “Seria has dedicated her career to creating inclusive and welcoming learning and working environments for students and employees and cares deeply about our community. I am confident that she will bring a collaborative and creative approach to continuing to advance our DEIB priorities at Penn State.”
Since becoming associate vice provost for educational equity in 2024, Chatters has made significant contributions to develop and provide enriching programs and services to the Penn State community. She leads the Office of Scholars Programs, Bias Reporting Network, and the Campus Access and Success Grants and Equal Opportunity Planning Commission Seed Grants. She collaborates with Development and Alumni Relations, supports the Commonwealth Campuses, and helps to organize and facilitate equity-centered professional development across the commonwealth.
“Stepping into this role is an honor,” Chatters said. “It has been a pleasure to work with Dr. Whitehurst over the years, and I am committed to building on the strong foundation he has laid and to continuing our team’s work to foster equitable learning environments for all members of our University community. I look forward to working closely with faculty, staff, students and partners across Penn State to continue to bring DEIB to the forefront of all we do.”
Over the past year, Chatters has co-led an effort named by Bendapudi to address how the University approaches and manages reports of wrongdoing, including bias and discrimination, to improve responsiveness, timeliness and transparency. She also helped spearhead the Stand for State bias and discrimination workshops in 2016.
Since joining Penn State in 2013, Chatters also has served as a faculty member and researcher in the Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education in the College of Education, where she also was the coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Schools and Communities in the CEDAR Clinic.
Chatters currently serves as a co-chair of the Advisory Committee for Policing and Communities of Color, is a member of Community and Campus in Unity, and is the co-chair of the College of Education’s Diversity and Community Enhancement Committee and Equity Team.
As a licensed professional counselor in Pennsylvania and mental health counselor in Florida, Chatters has focused her career on reducing bias-based bullying, advancing equity, and improving mental health support in educational settings.
In 2018, she became the first director of diversity and inclusivity for the State College Area School District, where she oversaw efforts to create a more equitable educational environment. Throughout her career, Chatters has taught at the University of South Florida and Zayed University in Dubai and has worked as a middle and high school counselor.
Her research interests focus on the impact of diversity on interpersonal violence and preventing bias-based forms bullying and harassment in secondary, postsecondary and work settings; how prejudice and bullying intersect; and how various aspects of diversity impact experiences of bullying.
Among her professional affiliations, Chatters has served as a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development and as president of the Pennsylvania Mental Health Counselors Association, Florida Behavioral Healthcare Alliance—Military OneSource, and the Florida Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. She continues to provide training for school personnel to help them understand, respond to and prevent bias-based bullying in school settings.
Chatters earned her bachelor of science degree in business administration from Midland Lutheran College and both her master’s degree in counselor education and doctorate in curriculum instruction and counselor education from the University of South Florida, Tampa.