UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Leah P. Hollis has been named associate dean for access, equity and inclusion in the Penn State College of Education. She will succeed María Schmidt, who, after 22 years in the college, is retiring in December.
Hollis, who is originally from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and has been in higher education for more than 30 years, said she is excited to join the great work already happening in the College of Education.
“I chose Penn State because of the dean and the wonderful colleagues I met during my visit,” she said. “I see a true commitment to anti-racism and diversity and am thrilled to be part of that. My research on workplace bullying in higher education confirms that underrepresented minorities are most likely to face workplace bullying; therefore, this position brings my research and administrative backgrounds together.”
During her career, Hollis has published four books and authored or co-authored 37 peer-reviewed journal articles, seven book chapters and 17 scholarly essays. She also is an experienced speaker and conference presenter, having done both for more than 25 years.
In her new position, Hollis will coordinate, provide support for, and advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) activities across college structures; lead and participate in the daily activities of the Office of Education and Social Equity; provide leadership to the Equity Coalition, an aggregated team of equity leaders across the college; bring together and support an interdisciplinary group of scholars, students and community members committed to praxis and transformative engagement; and work collaboratively to continue to develop, implement and evaluate policies and practices related to teaching, research and service, in alignment with the college’s strategic plan.
“During our search, we met several impressive candidates, but Dr. Hollis stood out among them,” said Kim Lawless, dean of the College of Education. “Her broad experience as well as her obvious passion for and commitment to anti-racism made her the clear choice for this vital role. We look forward to her leadership as our college continues to work toward our goal of changing education by educating for change.”
Hollis currently serves as a faculty member in the Department of Advanced Studies, Leadership and Policy at Morgan State University, a historically Black college. She also has current appointments as a senior researcher at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development Center for Character and Social Responsibility, and as a senior research associate in the Samuel Dewitt Proctor Institute in the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education, where she had been a visiting scholar from 2020 to 2022.
Hollis earned her doctorate from Boston University in 1998, where she was a Martin Luther King Jr. Fellow. She obtained a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993 and her bachelor’s degree in English and Africana studies from Rutgers University in 1990, where she also was a scholarship athlete in the varsity women’s volleyball program.
“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Hollis to our thriving college community,” Schmidt said. “We have come a long way in our anti-racist and social justice work. As we continue to grow and evolve, it is crucial that we persist in investing in our DEIB goals. Dr. Hollis’ extensive professional experience and vision brings the opportunity to take our efforts to the next level and lead us to where we aspire to be. I look forward to our work during the fall transition and excited for our college community in this new chapter.”
While at Penn State, Hollis said she will strive to continue the great work the college is doing to become an anti-racist institution.
“I am looking to keep the same focus on student-facing programs and contribute to the momentum of anti-racist programming,” she said. “I am looking forward to joining a spectacular team.”
Hollis is scheduled to begin at Penn State on Aug. 1.