Brian C. Mitchell

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Brian C. Mitchell : biography

1953 –

Bucknell University

Brian C. Mitchell was named Bucknell University’s 16th president in July 2004 and served six years until stepping down in June, 2010. Mitchell is a champion of the value of a liberal arts education working to establish new programs, for example, in biomedical engineering, environmental studies, and public policy while at Bucknell. Mitchell is the principal architect behind the development of Bucknell University’s strategic plan and its first comprehensive master plan since the 1930s. He led a major fundraising effort for Bucknell to raise at least $400 million over the next several years and which has already raised over $170 million from all sources to date. Mitchell is a specialist in and advocate for strong community-based partnerships as well and through his efforts Bucknell has worked closely with its region to develop a new 30,000 sq. ft. Barnes & Noble Bookstore in downtown Lewisburg as well as rehabilitated downtown administrative office space, the rejuvenation of the iconic art deco Campus Theater, a business incubation center, Bucknell Landing which opens the Susquehanna River directly to Bucknell’s faculty, students, staff and programs, and more than 10 miles in rails-to-trails projects in the region.

Working with Bucknell’s faculty, he implemented a new arts and science curriculum; ABET reaccreditation of the University’s engineering college, the move from department to a School of Management, and the migration to the 5-course load that lowered the student/faculty ratio to 10/1. More than 60 new professors have been hired during his tenure, faculty salaries have been improved and rank among the most competitive in the country, sabbatical and travel funds have been increased, and the University opened a new Teaching and Learning Center. During his service, Bucknell moved its bond rating to an outstanding Aa2 and is regarded as one of the best managed universities in America, with a strong balance sheet and a history of consecutive balanced budgets. Its capital program remains robust with little deferred maintenance and through the construction or repurposing and rehabilitation of numerous buildings on campus during his six years at Bucknell.http://www.merrimack.edu/about/leadership/brian_c_mitchell.php

Edvance Foundation

In July 2010, Mitchell partnered with Kurt M. Thiede to establish the Edvance Foundation, a nonprofit organization bringing expertise, resources, ingenuity, and foresight to institutions of higher education across the U.S.http://www.edvancefoundation.org

Education and Personal History

A native of Lowell, Massachusetts, Mitchell graduated from Keith Academy and from Merrimack College in 1974. He received his Ph.D from the University of Rochester, and is an expert in 19th century urban, ethnic, and labor history. He wrote The Paddy Camps: The Irish of Lowell, 1821–1861, a critically acclaimed book examining those fields. As a professor, he chaired the history department at Anna Maria College and taught at George Mason University, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Bentley College, Lesley College, New Hampshire College, and the University of Rochester. He was awarded the Haskell Award for Distinguished Teaching in the Humanities from Lowell and the Albert J. Beveridge Grant for Research in American History from the American Historical Association.

Other

Mitchell serves as the chair of the Board of Trustees of Merrimack College.

He is also a member of the board of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in Chicago and has served as a trustee of Washington and Jefferson College.

Mitchell was honored with the 2010 national award for individual contributions to American higher education by the POSSE Foundation at a major gala in New York City in May 2010.