Mark Bernhard, USI’s future associate provost for Outreach and Engagement, is confident that he will adjust well to his new position thanks to his current and previous work at Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University.
Bernhard’s new title will be Associate Provost for the Outreach and Engagement. He will assist Provost Ron Rochon with continuing and professional education. Bernhard will work and maintain relationships between USI, the community and organizations.
Bernhard worked at Pennsylvania State University from 1998-2006 and then Virginia Tech from 2006 until this spring. At Virginia Tech, he is in charge of a 30-member staff, which organizes 300-400 events for training and workshops for teachers.
At Virginia Tech, he is also in charge of a $17.2 million U.S. Army grant for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. The grant aims to help inform students on how to use the STEM fields with the Department of Defense, allowing educational opportunities for students all ages.
Bernhard has hopes to partner with the Army and continue partnering with the Navy in STEM outreach activities here at USI.
“We are not making any immediate changes at this moment. I want to come in and access what is working really well,” Bernhard said.
He said he is looking forward to “working with a great group of personnel” that has a great program as it is. He would like only to strengthen the program and find new opportunities that have become available to engage with the community with students and businesses.
Rochon officially hired Bernhard for the assistant position. He said Bernhard has a very good background with this type of department. Rochon said he welcomes creative, ground-breaking ideas and believes Bernhard will bring these qualities to assist with USI’s development.
After meeting with Bernhard, speaking to the community and the people on campus, Rochon said Bernhard was the best choice for USI and its society.
“We are a campus thriving because of the hard work, the commitment and innovative ideas that have come forward thus far,” Rochon said. “We are not a campus that needs to be fixed.”
