CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of directors of Wittenberg University unanimously elected Dr. Mark H. Erickson as the university's 13th president, according to a Feb. 28 news release from the university. Erickson, vice president for administrative and government affairs, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa., will assume the role of Wittenberg president July 1.
Wittenberg, Springfield, Ohio, is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
"We are terrifically excited to engage Dr. Erickson as the next president of Wittenberg," said Ingrid Stafford, Evanston, Ill., board chair and search committee chair. "His qualifications and background clearly stood out among the other candidates, and we are thrilled that he accepted our offer to be part of the Wittenberg community."
"Dr. Erickson's strengths in strategic planning, enrollment management, global education, diversity and community engagement are particularly compelling and applicable to Wittenberg's current strategic directions," Stafford continued.
Erickson was named Wittenberg president following an eight-month search process. He succeeds Baird Tipson, who was president of Wittenberg from 1995 to 2004 and left to accept the presidency at Washington College, Chestertown, Md. Attorney and business executive William H. Steinbrink, vice chair of the board and a 1964 Wittenberg alumnus, has served as interim president since July 2004.
"I am both honored and excited to be selected to lead Wittenberg University as its next president," Erickson said. "Wittenberg is an extraordinary university that is beautifully poised for even greater success. From day one, I felt a resonance with Wittenberg's mission to educate 'the whole person,' its commitment to the liberal arts, its focus on global education, diversity and community service, as well as its connection to the Lutheran Church."
As vice president for administrative and government affairs at Lehigh, Erickson provides leadership and vision for the university's government and community affairs operations, securing federal and state funding in excess of $30 million to support the university's mission, according to the news release.
In addition, Erickson serves as senior adviser to Lehigh's president, traveling extensively to develop key partnerships with international corporations and universities. Erickson previously led the university's strategic planning process and has spearheaded diversity initiatives to foster an inclusive campus environment, the release said.
Prior to serving as vice president for administrative and government affairs, Erickson served in numerous capacities at Lehigh, including associate vice president and executive assistant to the president from 1999 to 2001, and the university's dean of students from 1990 to 1999.
Before joining Lehigh, Erickson helped advance student development efforts at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and at Framingham State College, Framingham, Mass. In addition, he has taught a range of undergraduate and graduate courses on such topics as communication, policy and politics, and higher education throughout his 28-year career.
In 1997, Erickson was selected as one of 34 American Council on Education (A.C.E.) Fellows. Erickson is a frequent presenter at national and regional conferences and a member of numerous professional associations.
Erickson earned a bachelor's degree in American history from Princeton University, Princeton, N.J., and a master's degree in education from Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Lehigh University. He also completed additional study in world religions and pastoral care at Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge.
Erickson's wife, Lin, currently serves as chief executive officer and executive director of the Da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and Technology, Bethlehem, Pa.
The Ericksons have two children, Sarah, 19, a student at Princeton University, and David, 15. Erickson is Presbyterian but attends St. Paul Lutheran Church, Coopersburg, Pa., with his family.
Erickson's election follows an eight-month search process conducted by a 14-member search committee.
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Information about Wittenberg University can be found at http://www.wittenberg.edu on the Web.
*Karen Gerboth is director of university communications at Wittenberg University.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
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