UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has named an interim vice president for Outreach and will conduct a national search to find a permanent leader for the organization.
Justin Aglio, executive director of the Readiness Institute at Penn State, will serve as interim vice president for Outreach, effective July 1. The RI at Penn State, which collaborates with education, industry and community partners to create learning experiences for learners of all ages, is a unit within Penn State Outreach.
Aglio will begin his interim role following the retirement of Tracey DeBlase Huston on June 30.
Penn State Outreach advances and facilitates a full breadth of outreach and engagement activities across the University and commonwealth — including Conferences and Institutes; the Justice and Safety Institute; Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at University Park and Penn State York; the Penn State Center Pittsburgh; the Penn State Center Philadelphia; Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center; the Musser Gap to Valleylands project; community and K-12 engagement; the Nittany AI Alliance; WPSU TV, FM, Digital (PBS/NPR affiliates); the Readiness Institute at Penn State; and the Arboretum at Penn State.
“I have appointed a leader who will be able to guide Penn State Outreach, which plays a critical role in advancing the University’s core missions of service and engagement by delivering compelling, evidence-based content to diverse audiences while creating meaningful learning opportunities for students,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “Justin Aglio has the knowledge and skills needed to help us through this transition and to continue the leadership and impact demonstrated under Tracey Huston.”
Aglio joined Penn State in November 2020 as the inaugural leader of the Readiness Institute, located in the Energy Innovation Center in Pittsburgh. Prior to coming to Penn State, he spent nearly 20 years gaining teaching and administrative experience in the public and higher education sectors.
Throughout his career, he has been recognized by his peers with honors including Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40, International Society for Technology in Education Emerging Leader, Pennsylvania Association for Education Communications and Technology Outstanding Leader of the Year, Edtech and elearning Top 100 Influencer, and was selected as a participant in the Nation of Makers roundtable discussion at the White House.
“It is an honor and a privilege to step into this interim role with Penn State Outreach and continue Tracey Huston’s wonderful legacy,” said Aglio. “I look forward to guiding Outreach and its dedicated employees, as we leverage faculty expertise, external partnerships, institutional priorities and funding opportunities to positively impact diverse communities across the commonwealth.”
Aglio earned a doctor of education degree in leadership and administration from Point Park University, a master of science degree in curriculum and instruction from McDaniel College, a superintendent letter of eligibility from California University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from Waynesburg University.
A national search for a permanent vice president, led by the global executive search and advisory firm WittKieffer, will commence in July.