UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Corey Phelps, John and Karen Arnold Dean of the Penn State Smeal College of Business, has announced that Jennifer Eury will assume the role of associate dean for undergraduate education, effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Eury will transition from her role as undergraduate management major program coordinator and clinical associate professor in Smeal’s Department of Management and Organization. She succeeds Felisa Preciado Higgins, who accepted a role in September as Purdue’s associate vice provost and dean of the John Martinson Honors College.

“Jennifer has extensive experience as both a faculty and staff member in Smeal and deep experience with undergraduate students and the Office of Undergraduate Education. I know she will do an excellent job leading the UGE team and I look forward to working with her in her new role,” Phelps said.

Prior to joining the Smeal faculty on a full-time basis, Eury served as Smeal’s director of honor and integrity, was Smeal’s director of alumni relations and served on the Advisory Council for the Association of Business School Alumni Professionals.

“I am truly honored and excited to join Smeal's leadership team as the associate dean for undergraduate education. After more than 16 years with the college, including several years of teaching undergraduate students, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to contribute to our community in this leadership capacity,” Eury said.

“I look forward to working with the UGE team, our faculty and staff, and, of course, our students, as we continue strengthening the undergraduate educational experience.”

Eury will be responsible for overseeing the strategic planning, operations, budgeting and assessment of the Office of Undergraduate Education. The associate dean leads a team of nearly 50 staff members and works closely with faculty, department heads and various Penn State stakeholders to enhance educational opportunities and student success. The associate dean advises the dean and the college leadership team on all aspects of the undergraduate experience, including program development, student engagement, advising, curriculum, scholarships and recruitment.

“This is an exciting time for the Smeal College of Business, and I am thrilled to step into this role. Leading a team dedicated to supporting our undergraduate students in their academic and career planning is both an opportunity and a responsibility that I embrace with great enthusiasm,” Eury said.

“I am eager to work with our dedicated UGE team, as well as with faculty and staff across the college, to contribute to the continued success of our undergraduate program.”

Eury is an active member of the Penn State, Smeal and larger management education communities. She serves as an at-large director for the Management & Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS) Board, including serving as a member of the Collegiate Leadership Competition Committee. She is also a member of the Ethics Education Committee for the Academy of Management and serves on the Editorial Review Boards for Journal of Management Education and Management Teaching Review. She also serves on Smeal’s Academic Integrity Committee.

She received her doctorate in higher education, a master of science degree in business administration, a master of education in higher education and a bachelor’s in advertising-public relations, all from Penn State.

Eury studies individuals' and organizations' responses to identity threat and organizational culture, specifically how culture can foster integrity and ethical behavior. She also studies topics related to teaching and learning in management education.

Her research has been published in the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Perspectives, Journal of Faculty Development, Journal of Instructional Pedagogies (forthcoming), Journal of Management Education, Management Teaching Review, and New Directions for Higher Education.

She has presented at professional meetings, including the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management and the MOBTS Annual Conference, and is a frequent guest speaker to groups on and off campus on topics related to integrity, ethical culture and leadership.

Eury has served on various University and college committees, including the Schreyer Honors College Ethics Committee and the Athletic Director's Leadership Institute (ADLI) Advisory Board. She was also involved in the Partners in Business Ethics Symposium steering committee, which promotes business ethics in academia and corporate America, and is a founding member and past chair of the Smeal Women's Network, which promotes and develops women as leaders. Outside of Penn State, she chaired the Judicial Committee for USA Olympic Shooting.

As she prepares to transition from her current duties, Eury said she is already thinking ahead to short- and long-term goals in her new role.

“My initial focus will be to spend time with the UGE team. As the heartbeat of the college, this team plays a key role in a wide range of efforts related to student success. I want to understand their needs and ideas so we can continue providing the most meaningful, highest-quality experiences for our students,” she said.

“Looking ahead, I will work with the UGE team and others across the college to shape a strategy that supports the college’s goals and priorities," she added, "while continuing to foster strong working relationships across the University.”