UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After 28 years championing equity within the Office of Educational Equity, including nine years as vice provost, Marcus Whitehurst, vice provost for Educational Equity, has announced that on July 31 he will transition to a new role as an associate clinical professor at Penn State. Whitehurst will also serve as a special assistant to the interim executive vice president and provost to provide continued administrative guidance and support. 

With nearly three decades of leadership experience, Whitehurst has led transformative efforts toward creating a more welcoming environment at Penn State. He has been a leader in advancing equity and has endeavored to grow and support a comprehensive range of strategic efforts to create a supportive and dynamic learning environment for all. Among his contributions, Whitehurst has formulated and executed strategic planning efforts for equity that align with the University’s mission and vision, advocated for and led significant initiatives to expand resources and services for various University populations, and has provided the Penn State community with sound leadership and guidance during moments of adversity for the University and the country.  

Before becoming vice provost, Whitehurst served as assistant vice provost for Educational Equity for seven years. In addition, he served in several capacities at Penn State, including as director of the Multicultural Resource Center for nearly a decade. He has also taught courses in African and African American studies and Language and Literacy Education Studies at Penn State. 

“I want to acknowledge and recognize Marcus for his many years of dedicated service to the University and wish him the best in his new journey,” said Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Tracy Langkilde. “His tenure as vice provost has shaped the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence and he has been a cornerstone in advancing equity and fostering a sense of belonging for students, faculty, and staff across our campuses. We are deeply grateful for Marcus’ leadership and vision, which have set a strong foundation for continued progress.” 

The University has announced SeriaShia Chatters, associate vice provost for Educational Equity, will serve in the role in an interim capacity beginning Aug. 1.  

“It has been an honor to serve Penn State in this role over the past decade. Witnessing the growth and evolution of our community over the years has been immensely rewarding,” Whitehurst said. “I am so proud of the accomplishments of my colleagues in the Office of Educational Equity to create a more welcoming environment across our campuses. I am confident Penn State will continue to build on this momentum, embracing equity in all its forms and fostering a culture where everyone feels they truly belong.” 

Since 2014, Whitehurst has led the Office of Educational Equity, consisting of 13 units and 69 staff members, dedicated to fostering equity at Penn State and creating a welcoming climate throughout the University’s campuses. The office supports and evaluates many initiatives and serves as an advocate for a range of populations, including veterans, people with disabilities, individuals from low-income families and those who are first-generation college students, and individuals who are members of historically underrepresented and minoritized groups. The office’s units include the Office of Veterans Programs, Office of Disability Services, Multicultural Resource Center, federally funded TRIO grant programs, Office of Scholars Programs, Equal Opportunity Planning Committee, Senior Faculty Mentors, and a number of student support services and programs. 

Whitehurst serves as a member of the President’s Council and the Provost Leadership Council, chairs the University Equity Leadership Council — which he also founded — and the Campus Environment Team, and collaborates with the three President’s Commissions for Equity. He works closely and collaboratively with a number of groups internal and external to the University, including the University Faculty Senate; provides support for staff and undergraduate and graduate students; and works with individual faculty members to promote research, partnerships and support for attending scholarly conferences. 

Among his achievements, over the years, Whitehurst has focused on advancing impact, collaboration, fundraising and strategic planning. As vice provost, working with University leaders and employees, Whitehurst:  
 

• Facilitated the merger and integration of the University-wide strategic plan section on “Fostering and Embracing a Diverse World” from the previous diversity plan (“A Framework to Foster Diversity”).   

• Served as co-lead during the first phase of the presidential vision and goals process to develop a University strategic plan for advancing equity, which focuses on ways to increase recruitment of underrepresented and underserved populations, close the graduation gaps, create communities of support and other areas.   

• Co-led the development of Penn State’s first ever climate survey, the University-wide Penn State Community Survey. 

• Raised funds to support need-based and merit-based scholarships and gifts that benefit students from various diverse backgrounds.   

• Created the University Equity Leadership Council after identifying a need to bring together leaders and staff from across the University.  
   

As a champion of Penn State’s academic, access and land-grant mission and to support efforts to close graduation gaps among diverse student populations, Whitehurst: 

• Oversaw the increase of TRIO Talent Search and TRIO Upward Bound projects, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, designed to serve low-income and first-generation middle and high school students in ten school districts across Pennsylvania. 

• Oversaw a successful transition of the state-funded Pennsylvania Higher Education Equal Opportunity Act 101 Program and helped to transform it into a University supported Comprehensive Studies Program, under the Multicultural Resource Center, which provides mentorship and support to first-generation and/or Pell-eligible underrepresented and underserved students from Pennsylvania, to foster their academic success and personal development, and to help them persist and graduate from Penn State. 

• Led the transition of a long-standing Bunton-Waller Fellows program to be housed within the Office of Educational Equity. Created the Office of Scholars Program, which was expanded to include the Bunton-Waller Fellows, Lenfest Scholars, Milton Hersey Scholars and Maguire Scholars. All four programs help to recruit some of the best and brightest students to Penn State. A recent University efficacy study found that approximately 90% of these students graduate from Penn State within four to six years.    

 Whitehurst has led efforts to expand resources and equal opportunities for community members across the institution, including students with disabilities, veterans and students from military families, underrepresented faculty members, among others: 

• Provided oversight for the expansion of a newly renovated testing center at University Park to support students under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) who require specific accommodations.  

• Partnered with the Office of Commonwealth Campuses to streamline the student disability assessment process to ensure all student evaluations for accommodations are consistent regardless of Penn State campus location.   

• Led efforts and partnered with the Office of Commonwealth Campuses to create a process for the Office of Veterans Programs to streamline the certification of veterans’ benefits consistent with the Post 9/11 GI Bill under the Pennsylvania State Department of Veterans Affairs.   

• Partnered with the College of the Liberal Arts and College of Education to expand support and services for underrepresented faculty by increasing the number of Senior Faculty Mentors who help to support other faculty members as they navigate the promotion and tenure process. 

 
In addition, Whitehurst previously served as acting diversity advocate, overseeing University initiatives to help improve the campus climate, and was as a liaison for individuals reporting incidents of bias. He also chaired the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Planning Committee, oversaw the Educational Equity Endowment Scholarship Committee, and was a member of the University's Greek-life Response Team.

During Whitehurst’s tenure, Penn State has been awarded four Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Awards, including the inaugural HEED Diversity Champion Award in 2016 from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, which recognizes institutions for their commitment to diversity and inclusion, and is consistently named among nation's most LGBTQ-friendly universities.  

Whitehurst has earned numerous awards for his leadership, service and commitment to equal opportunity, including the Penn State Black Alumni Reunion Outstanding Alumni Contribution to the field of Education Award, Omega Psi Phi Devotion and Service Award, Penn State Outstanding Service Award, the College Student Affairs Program Outstanding Service Award, and The Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education President’s Leadership Award.   

He has also served on several national committees, including The Association of American Universities (AAU) Steering Committee, as chair of the Senior Diversity Officers Big Ten Academic Alliance, and Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc. Second District Scholarship Committee.   

Whitehurst earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in social sciences from Binghamton University, State University of New York, as well as both a master of higher education degree in higher education administration and a doctorate in educational theory and policy from Penn State. He also has completed several post-doctoral training programs.