Chancellor Fiorentino's Blog

Having celebrated my share of commencement ceremonies while serving as a university president, I reflect fondly on the opportunity to shake the hands of graduates the moment they turn into freshly minted alumni. Each face smiling, having long forgotten the blood, sweat and tears invested in making it to that stage. Each face focused squarely on what comes next.   Now, as chancellor, I get to tell their story in a different way. To tell the story of how our universities produced 20,000 graduates this year, the vast majority of whom will stay right here in Pennsylvania to live, work, and raise their families. To tell the story of how the state’s social and economic health depends on our universities preparing the next generation of leaders, educators, thinkers, creators, and more.    And what a story it is.   Our roots are deeply planted in teacher education — our universities having originated as normal schools. Today, while education remains a core strength...

What do you get when you combine academic excellence with a drive to make a difference? You get the recipients of PASSHE’s Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award. Previous winners have gone on to become educators, engineers, lawyers, and leaders in global non-profits and community healthcare — proving that this award is an early indicator of real-world impact. This past week, we had the honor of recognizing Slippery Rock’s Abby Becker , the 2026 winner. Before celebrating her and the other talented finalists, it is important to reflect on the meaning behind this prestigious honor — the highest student award in the State System. Founded by Dr. Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, a charter member of our Board of Governors, the award looks beyond a transcript. It evaluates candidates on three essential pillars: academic mastery, extracurricular leadership, and a clear vision for how their university experience has prepared them to lead. These scholars represent the thousands of PASSHE students who take pride in their c...

March Madness is the perfect name for this time of year. As the seasons shift, everything in the sports world seems to take off at once — from spring training and NCAA tournaments to local championships. It’s an exciting time, and I want to share a little about how our alumni are redefining the sports industry. Before I do that, let me take a little detour and share how we’ve been working together in Harrisburg to ensure our universities have a winning game plan for the future. Earlier this month, East Stroudsburg President Ken Long, IUP President Mike Driscoll, Millersville President Daniel Wubah and West Chester President Laurie Bernotsky represented PASSHE in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee. They spoke about the hard work our faculty and staff are doing to prepare students for the future. They discussed how we are working together to expand PA’s talent pipelines, modernize our institutions, and meet the needs of our students in a changing world. The following week...

Traveling to every PASSHE campus this past fall reminded me why we do this work. Seeing our mission in action through the eyes of our students, faculty and staff reinforced just how essential this system is to all of Pennsylvania. That’s why we are so committed to ensuring a PASSHE university experience is not just high-quality but also affordable. Because we have regained our affordability advantage, this year alone our universities saw an increase in first-generation students, transfer students, and Pell students. On top of that, we saw record high student retention. Because PASSHE universities are affordable, more students can start and finish their degree. While it would be enough to protect affordability simply because it’s the right thing to do — allowing more Pennsylvanians to pursue their personal higher education goals — affordability matters for a broader reason. You see, our commonwealth is facing a talent supply crisis. There are not enough equipped, qualified ...

Even with a fresh blanket of snow, the energy at our universities is electric as the spring semester begins. Students are energized and eager, and faculty and staff have been hard at work to ensure a smooth return. At the same time, we know all too well how quickly the next 16 weeks will go, so getting off to a good start makes the difference. Our people make the difference. You make the difference. And this year, we will lift up stories of how people are the true power and promise of PASSHE. Here are just a few: Dr. Randilyn Lewis , an assistant professor at PennWest University who helps nursing students build their confidence so they can positively influence their communities. Dr. Sherri Bergsten , a professor at Shippensburg University who conducts cancer research alongside her students and enjoys witnessing their growth.  People are at the heart of everything we do. Whether it's engaging our students, faculty, and staff, collaborating with the local community, or leveragin...

I don’t need to tell you that this time of year — end-of-term and the holiday season — can feel nothing short of overwhelming. Thinking back to my time as a university president, my wife and I would host or attend dozens of events and ceremonies, open houses, athletic events and more during the month of December. I cherished each moment, but it often felt like I was rushing through it all.   The rhythms of my role as chancellor are different. While I can’t say the pressure is less intense, I do have the opportunity to pause and reflect from time to time rather than just run full speed ahead at every moment.    This week — as some prepare for a much-deserved celebration of their December graduation — I find myself thinking about some of the most memorable experiences from my fall tour of the PASSHE universities, which just wrapped up. (You can view some pics HERE .) I’ll admit, the thought of traveling thousands of miles and countless hours as I started my 14-cam...