Mercyhurst Magazine Fall 2014

Gamble announces plan to retire in 2015

Thomas J. Gamble, Ph.D., has announced that he will retire on May 31, 2015, after nearly a decade of distinguished service as Mercyhurst University’s 11 th president. He will, however, remain at Mercyhurst to pursue other academic interests. “It has been an enormous privilege to serve as president of an institution that I love and where all three of my children received their education and degrees,” said Gamble, who turns 68 next year. “My frst professional loves have always involved learning, teaching, research and writing and I desire to spend the last several years of my tenure at Mercyhurst in those activities, which are a genuine source of joy and rejuvenation for me.” Gamble advised the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees that he would not seek an extension of his contract, which expires at the end of the 2014- 2015 academic year, but he agreed to stay on longer if necessary to allow for an orderly presidential search and transition. “Dr. Gamble has been a transformative president for Mercyhurst and we are deeply grateful for his many years of dedicated service,” said Board Chair Marlene Mosco. “Since he was appointed president in 2006, he has been the driver behind many bold decisions, including the transition of Mercyhurst College to Mercyhurst University in 2012, changing the academic calendar from three terms to a traditional semester system and introducing a new core curriculum in 2013.”

Prior to his selection as university president, Gamble was vice president for academic afairs a t Mercyhurst. He is a former director of the Mercyhurst Institute for Child and Family Policy and founding director of the Mercyhurst Civic Institute. He began his teaching career at Mercyhurst as an adjunct faculty member in 1985 and became a full- time professor of criminal justice and psychology in 1997, earning tenure in 2003. Before joining Mercyhurst full time, he was

aflia ted with the Erie County Ofc e of Children and Youth (OCY) from 1983 to 1997 as director of the Edmund L. Thomas Center and director of professional services. He became executive director of OCY in 1988. Gamble holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Gannon University, a master’s and doctorate in psychology from Syracuse University and a second doctorate in social psychology

from Syracuse’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Afairs , one of the top public policy schools in the county. He was a postdoctoral fellow in child psychology at Yale University from 1982 to 1984.

SEARCH UNDERWAY TO NAME SUCCESSOR Two former student leaders of Mercyhurst, now members of the university’s board of trustees, have been named to lead the national search for the university’s 12 th president. Board Chair Marlene Mosco named Joseph G. NeCastro ’78, chief fnancial and administrative ofc er for Scripps Networks Interactive Media, Knoxville, Tennessee; and Richard A. Lanzillo ’83, shareholder of Knox Gornall McLaughlin & Sennett, P.C., Erie, to co chair the Presidential Search Committee. Joining Lanzillo, Mosco and NeCastro on the Presidential Search Committee are: • Trustee JoAnne K. Courneen, RSM ’64

chair of the physical therapist assistant Mercyhurst Student Government) • Joseph M. Morris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and director of the Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics • Michael A. Elnitsky, Ph.D., associate professor, chair of biology department and pre-health advising program • Janice M. Haas, assistant professor and • Trustee John H. Langer ‘95 • Trustee Desmond J. McDonald • Trustee Robert S. Miller ’11 • Trustee Joanne M. McGurk, Ph.D. (president, Faculty Senate) • Trustee Scott A. Koskoski ’00 (president, Alumni Association) • Trustee Nicholas T. Latta ’15 (president,

“We feel good about the composition of the Presidential Search

Committee,” Mosco said. “It represents a cross section of ages, disciplines, occupations and length of service to the board and university. It is also the frst time so man y Mercyhurst graduates who were all former student leaders have been named to a search at the university. They have a vested interest with this being their alma mater.”

Joseph G. Necastro

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- able to communicate with the co chairs and As the search progresses, the university community will be able to access a Presidential Search website through a link mercyhurst.edu at . Constituents will also be committee through a link on the website.

Richard A. Lanzillo

program at Mercyhurst North East.

• Trustee Rosemary D. Durkin ‘77

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