Jacqueline Edmondson

Jacqueline Edmondson is an American educator, scholar, and academic administrator. She is the 14th president (2022-) of the University of Southern Maine, which has campuses in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston, as well as an online.
==Education==
Edmondson holds a B.S. in Elementary and Kindergarten Education, M.S. in Educational Psychology, and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State University. She is a first-generation college student.
==Career==
Before leading the University of Southern Maine as president, Edmondson was a faculty member and administrator at Penn State University for 22 years. As chancellor and chief academic officer of Penn State Greater Allegheny from 2017 to 2022, she implemented a plan to revitalize the campus that established eight new degree programs in response to regional workforce and student needs. These new programs include degrees in social work, cybersecurity analytics and operations, and recreation, park, and tourism management. During this time, Edmondson raised more than $4 million for scholarships and campus priorities. In partnership with the City of McKeesport, PA and Invent Penn State, Edmondson established the Mon Valley LaunchBox, an incubator to help early-stage entrepreneurs establish businesses in the region.
As chancellor, Edmondson introduced signature initiatives focused on student success and diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2017, she launched the Crossing Bridges Summit, a five-pillar program to bridge racial divides in the Greater Allegheny region. In 2018, the Digital Fluency Project put an iPad and digital writing tool in the hands of each student, faculty, and staff member. The program enables innovative classroom pedagogies that ultimately reduce out-of-pocket education expenses for Penn State Greater Allegheny students, 50% of whom are Pell Grant recipients.
As associate vice president and associate dean for undergraduate education from 2013 to 2017, Edmondson developed curriculum and programs to advance college access and affordability across Penn State’s 20 campuses, which enroll nearly 90,000 students. She joined the Penn State College of Education as an assistant professor in 2000, was promoted to full professor in 2012, and served as associate dean for undergraduate and graduate studies from 2006 to 2013.
==Selected Works==
* ed., Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories that Shaped Our Culture, 4 vols. (Greenwood, 2013) ISBN 978-0-3133-9347-1
* John Lennon: A Biography (Greenwood Press, 2010) ISBN 978-0-3133-7938-3
* Jerry Garcia: A Biography (Greenwood Press, 2009) ISBN 978-0-3133-5121-1
* Jesse Owens: A Biography (Greenwood Press, 2007) ISBN 978-0-3133-3988-2
* Condoleezza Rice: A Biography (Greenwood Press, 2006) ISBN 978-0-3133-3607-2
* Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography (Greenwood Press, 2005) ISBN 978-0-3133-3165-7
* ed., Reading Education Policy: A Collection of Articles from the International Reading Association, with Patrick Shannon (International Reading Association, 2005) ISBN 978-0-8720-7568-9
* Understanding and Applying Critical Policy Study: Reading Educators Advocating for Change (International Reading Association, 2004) ISBN 978-0-8720-7544-3
* Prairie Town: Redefining Rural Life in the Age of Globalization (Rowman & Littlefield, 2003) ISBN 978-0-7425-1941-1
Category:American people
Category:Scholars
Category:American educators
Category:Academic administrators