Millersville continues to enhance its academic programs to ensure the University is nationally recognized as the best educational choice for Pennsylvanians and beyond. We commit ourselves to hiring faculty who are teacher-scholars, equally known for their contributions to their fields as they are for teaching and mentoring students. We commit ourselves to providing the resources necessary to support programs of distinction and to employing technology that enhances the educational process. We continue to enhance the training that enables the administration and staff to provide necessary support to faculty and students as they undertake the robust intellectual, professional, and civic activities that are characteristic of programs of national distinction.

University Success

Faculty and Staff Success

Program Success

Student Success

University Success

• Millersville University was named to Kiplinger’s 100 Best Values in Public Colleges of 2011. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranks four-year institutions that deliver a stellar education at an affordable price.
• In its 2011 annual college rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Millersville University 67th in the category of Best Regional Universities in the North. Millersville ranked highest among the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities in this category.
• The Board of Governors approved a new Master of Science in Integrated Scientific Applications degree, an interdisciplinary program that combines a specialization in an applied science with pre-professional training in business, finance and accounting, and organizational communication, management and leadership.
• Millersville University was voted “Best Education” in Central PA magazine’s 2011 Hot List.
• The University expanded its downtown Lancaster presence with the purchase of the building at 42 N. Prince St., (now The Ware Center). The architecturally significant facility has become a center for community engagement, creativity and innovation.
• One of only 115 U.S. colleges and universities, Millersville University was selected by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for its 2010 Community Engagement Classification.

Faculty Success

• Melissa Gold, library, was selected to participate in the Association of College & Research Libraries' Immersion Program in Burlington, Vt. The program’s teacher track focused on improving and enhancing individual instruction skills for librarians.
• Dr. Todd D. Sikora, earth sciences, was elected to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Membership Committee (UCAR), a hub for research, education and public outreach for the atmospheric and related earth sciences community. The committee considers applications for election and reelection of UCAR members and academic affiliates (Millersville University is a founding member of the academic affiliates). The committee also regularly reviews the UCAR membership criteria and procedures.
• Millersville University’s inaugural “Educator of the Year” award was presented to Dr. Susan Luek, professor of psychology. Luek has been an educator at Millersville for more than 39 years and is known for her compassion and dedication to student learning.
• Dr. Blaise Liffick, computer science, was named to the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. This national body oversees the accreditation of programs in computer science and related areas.

Program Success

• Drs. Oliver Dreon and Nanette Dietrich, educational foundations, developed Millersville University’s Science Professional Development School, a revolutionary program connecting exemplary secondary science teachers, Millersville pre-service science teachers and Millersville University faculty in a full-year partnership to create better prepared, experienced and ready-to-teach science teachers.
• Millersville’s University Theatre received numerous Certificates of Merit from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region Two. Faculty and students were recognized for their productions “Earth and Sky” and “Heathen Valley.”
• The University Honors College sponsored the 2011 PASSHE Summer Study Abroad Program to Bermuda, where “The Atlantic World in an Age of Revolution” combined history and archaeology in a directed field school program.
• The Nonprofit Resource Center, which enhances the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations in the Lancaster area through professional development, training and networking, celebrated three years of service to the community with a move to downtown Lancaster. More than 1,000 community volunteers have participated in its programs, and the Center now serves 14 areas, including Harrisburg.
• As a founding member of the Marine Science Consortium (MSC) in Wallops Island, Va., Millersville helped celebrate the groundbreaking for a new 35,000-square-foot environmental learning center. President McNairy serves as the MSC board of director’s president.

Student Success

• The University’s semi-autonomous Marauder, SAM, a robot built by the Millersville University Robotics Team, received first place at the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering conference.
• Millersville’s chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, was awarded a Psi Chi Model Chapter designation for the 2009-10 year. The 2011 award marks the fourth consecutive year that Millersville’s chapter has been designated a Model Chapter.  
• Millersville University peer educators were named “Best Network Affiliate” at the 2010 BACCHUS Network General Assembly for their educational programming efforts. BACCHUS is a university and community based network focused on comprehensive health and safety initiatives.
• A team of biology students is working with Dr. John Wallace, biology, on an intensive monitoring program. The program is designed to evaluate biological, physical and chemical aspects in streams located in Marcellus Shale areas to more fully understand the impacts, if any, of shale gas drilling or water withdrawal on ecosystem functioning and overall water quality. Another team is conducting the actual field research to sample macroinvertebrates, collect water chemistry data as well as assess the habitat, both instream and riparian, associated with drill-site streams and control streams (i.e., streams not associated with Marcellus drill sites).
• Honors College student Matt Maze was selected to be a Beideman Fellow and interned with an alumnus mentor, Brian Gladden ’87, chief financial officer of Dell, Inc., at Dell’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. After graduation, Mr. Maze was offered a full-time position with Dell as a software engineer.