Four candidates for USF St. Petersburg campus regional chancellor advance to next steps in the search process
4 candidates searching for to turn out to be the up coming regional chancellor at the University of
South Florida St. Petersburg campus are transferring forward in the look for process. Right now,
in a publicly held conference, the Regional Chancellor Search Committee innovative 4
competent candidates to the next spherical:
- Melissa L. Gruys, dean of the School of Business at Purdue College Fort Wayne
- Christian Hardigree, founding dean of the School of Hospitality at Metropolitan State
University in Denver - Kanika Tomalin, the former deputy mayor and town administrator of the city of St.
Petersburg - Bjong Yeigh, previous chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell
Just about every applicant will appear to campus subsequent week to take part in town corridor visits, meetings
with university and local community leadership and interviews with USF President Rhea Legislation.
The campus visits will give the USF community an chance to interact with each and every
candidate, share thoughts and talk to questions. The city halls will be held in the University
Pupil Heart (USC) ballroom at the subsequent dates and occasions.
Monday, May 2
Applicant 1: 1-2 p.m.
Candidate 2: 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May perhaps 3
Candidate 3: 1-2 p.m.
Applicant 4: 2:30-3:30 p.m.
As shortly as particulars are finalized, the Regional Chancellor lookup internet site will be up-to-date with details on when each individual prospect will be on campus.
Each and every city hall pay a visit to will also be livestreamed by means of Microsoft Groups and can be accessed
via the Regional Chancellor search web page.
Customers of the USF local community are inspired to post inquiries and present suggestions through an on line portal on the Regional Chancellor research site.
This comments will be reviewed by President Legislation.
After interviewing the candidates and a critique system of their expertise along with
community comments, President Legislation will choose the subsequent regional chancellor to guide
the St. Petersburg campus.
Under are bios for each and every candidate:
Melissa L. Gruys
Melissa Gruys has intensive encounter in academic roles and administration in bigger
instruction and building relationships with local community companions and stakeholders. She
is now the dean of the Richard T. Doermer University of Organization at Purdue University
Fort Wayne, the place she oversees much more than 100 workers, such as 40 total-time faculty,
and manages the College student Accomplishment Center for tutorial advising, skilled development
and neighborhood outreach. Through her tenure, she oversaw a dramatic rise in fundraising,
improved retention amid first-12 months entire-time pupils and improved worldwide
collaborations and partnerships. She was also chair of the college-large diversity,
equity and inclusion committee.
Prior to her tenure at Purdue, Gruys was the chair of the Division of Management
and Intercontinental Business at Wright Condition University’s Raj Soin Higher education of Company.
At Wright State, she guided accreditation things to do, curriculum growth and new
method creation. She has also held professorship roles at Wright Condition College,
Washington Condition University-Vancouver and the College of Minnesota.
A 1st-generation university pupil, Gruys attained undergraduate levels in administration,
economics and speech conversation at the University of Minnesota, Morris, and a doctorate
in human resources and industrial relations at the College of Minnesota.
Christian Hardigree
Christian Hardigree is the founding dean of the University of Hospitality at Metropolitan
Point out College (MSU) in Denver, which is the third greatest and only open up-access
establishment of larger training in Colorado. Hardigree led the transition to a cost-free-standing
college and formulated/applied departmental buildings, college strategic prepare and
initiatives, and other deliverables. She has secured more than $3,775,000 in external
funds to assist the faculty and led school by curriculum redesign of six levels
and majors, 8 minors and nine certificates.
Prior to her purpose at MSU, Hardigree served as the founding director and professor
of the Michael A. Leven Faculty of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality at Kennesaw
Condition College in Kennesaw, Ga. She oversaw extra than 260 majors with a total
enrollment of extra than 1,500 college students. She also labored for Parnell & Associates as
a senior litigation lawyer and lover concentrating on employment discrimination, arbitration,
mediation and labor-management relations. In 2012, she was selected as a school institute
senior instructing fellow at College of Nevada Las Vegas, wherever she also obtained
the Sam and Mary Boyd Distinguished Professor for Services Award in 2011 and the Boyd
Distinguished Professor for Teaching Award in 2010.
A researcher and recurrent convention presenter, Hardigree been given her juris doctorate
from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University and a bachelor of science,
cum laude, from William F. Harrah Faculty of Hotel Administration at College of
Nevada Las Vegas.
Kanika Tomalin
A fifth-era indigenous of St. Petersburg, Fla., Kanika Tomalin has a various portfolio
of management positions and served as deputy mayor and town administrator for the
metropolis of St. Petersburg from 2014-2021. Most not long ago, she has held the placement of
vice president for tactic and chief working officer at Eckerd University in St. Petersburg.
Tomalin began her career as a journalist at the St. Petersburg Periods (now Tampa Bay
Occasions) in advance of signing up for Bayfront Clinical Center in 2000 as a fundraiser. She later joined
the public affairs place of work at Bayfront and grew to become manager in 2004. Following serving as
director of corporate communications for 4 years, she was promoted to govt
director, then vice president, of strategic setting up and public affairs in 2010 and
2011. Tomalin went on to turn out to be the regional vice president of exterior affairs for
the Bayfront Overall health Community and director of system for Wellness Management Associates’
23-medical center Florida Group. Appointed by Mayor Rick Kriseman to be deputy mayor of
the metropolis of St. Petersburg, in 2018 her scope expanded to contain city administrator,
where by she oversaw all of the city’s administrative and functions capabilities. She was
named to her existing posture in January 2022 and oversees all of Eckerd’s functions
and strategic capabilities, including preparing, infrastructure, funds asset management,
sustainability and resilience, and technological know-how programs, though advancing the college’s
strategic initiatives.
Tomalin earned a bachelor of science diploma in broadcast journalism from Florida Agricultural
and Mechanical University (FAMU), a master’s in organization administration from the College
of Miami and a doctorate in law and coverage from Northeastern College.
Bjong “Wolf” Yeigh
Bjong Yeigh has been at the helm of two distinctive universities for far more than 13 decades.
From 2013-2021, he was the chancellor of the College of Washington (UW) Bothell.
All through his leadership tenure, he oversaw the enlargement of academic applications from 30
to 55, the doubling of student enrollment and an improve in philanthropic support
that concluded with a $41 million campaign in 2020. Prior to his tenure at UW, he
was the president of the Condition College of New York (SUNY) Institute of Know-how
at Utica/Rome from 2008-2013 wherever he secured $15.5 million funds grants for cybersecurity
and nanotechnology systems, led initiatives to get two rounds of funding for regional
financial advancement initiatives totaling just about $120 million and guided the developing
of a lot more than $100 million in capital assignments on campus.
Yeigh has held a number of academic and administrative roles all through his better instruction
vocation. With an academic track record in Engineering, Yeigh has held professorship roles
at Oklahoma State University and Yale College. He has also been the Vice President
for Academic Affairs at Norwich College and the Dean of the Higher education of Engineering
at Saint Louis University. He is an elected fellow of the American Modern society of Mechanical
Engineers and serves on a number of countrywide and point out boards for engineering, financial
advancement, public policy and education and learning.
Yeigh attained his undergraduate diploma in engineering science from Dartmouth College,
a grasp of science in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and a doctorate
in civil engineering and operations investigation from Princeton College. Yeigh served
as a tactical air intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy and held the rank of lieutenant
upon his honorable discharge from the Navy Reserve in 1995.