INDIANA, Pa. – Indiana University of Pennsylvania President Dr. Michael Driscoll is recognized as one of the commonwealth’s 50 top leaders in Pennsylvania by City & State Pennsylvania.
The recipients are 50 of Pennsylvania’s most prominent and accomplished leaders in government, business, and media over the age of 50 who continue to make a positive impact on Pennsylvania through their achievements, leadership abilities, philanthropic efforts, and dedicate to the betterment of Pennsylvania.
The recipients are recognized in the Nov. 27 issue of the publication and were honored at an awards ceremony held Nov. 28 in Philadelphia.
“As the accomplishments of these commonwealth change-makers show, the fundamentals of a career with enduring impact haven’t changed: relationship-building, professionalism, civic responsibility, and vision,” editors said of the honorees.
“The IUP Council of Trustees, and most people affiliated with IUP, already know what a dynamic and visionary leader Dr. Driscoll is for this university,” IUP Council of Trustees Chairman Sam Smith said. “This recognition from people outside of the IUP family is greatly appreciated, fully deserved, and a reaffirmation of the outstanding leadership by President Driscoll that we see every day.”
Dr. Driscoll began his tenure as president of IUP in July 2012. He is the longest-serving president in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
In fall 2021, IUP restructured its academic colleges and programs as part of the university’s ongoing work to create a more sustainable and more student-centered university. Both IUP NextGen and the 2020-25 strategic plan focus on leveraging IUP’s strengths as a doctoral research university and its commitment to involving students in meaningful faculty research.
President Driscoll’s own academic research while a faculty member at Portland State University recently resurfaced as the 2020 SIGMICRO Test of Time award winner. This is the highest honor the organization gives an academic paper, recognizing that its influence is still felt 18 to 22 years after the paper’s initial publication in a prior session of the International Symposium on Microarchitecture.
In addition to reducing tuition to create more affordability for students and families, President Driscoll announced the Student Success Infrastructure in spring 2022 and launched the program in fall 2023. This initiative provides proactive, direct support to every IUP student at every level. This builds upon existing resources, including the University College, established in 2019 under his direction.
President Driscoll also has prioritized diversity and outreach, establishing a National Achievement Scholarship Office in 2019 and cultivating an international student population that is now the largest within the State System of Higher Education.
President Driscoll secured the approval of the IUP Council of Trustees in December 2022 to begin exploration of the development of a College of Osteopathic Medicine at IUP. This initiative is poised to address the critical shortage of primary health care physicians in Pennsylvania, especially in rural areas.
The impact of his leadership also includes a series of successful fundraising and capital projects, including the Imagine Unlimited comprehensive fundraising campaign that resulted in $81 million raised, exceeding both the original goal and the target deadline; the opening of Dr. John and Char Kopchick Hall, the university’s $90 million science building; completion of Jane E. Leonard Hall, IUP’s $30 million humanities center (the first new academic building at IUP in 20 years); and a $37 million dining facilities project.
In 2014, President Driscoll formed the Indiana Area Collaborative Team to strengthen IUP’s relationship with the local community, including government and business leaders and law enforcement agencies. The team initially helped address unsanctioned and out-of-control gatherings in the community. Now, it serves as a base for additional collaborative projects.
President Driscoll’s interest in community partnerships is also reflected in his work as past chair of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Committee on Economic and Workforce Development. He played a lead role in writing a statement about the economic importance of universities in their home regions.