Penn State’s vice president for commonwealth campuses will leave role this summer
Penn State’s vice president for commonwealth campuses and executive chancellor is leaving for a new job as the shape of the campus system she oversees is on the brink of a massive change.
Margo DelliCarpini will leave her post at Penn State to take the role as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at the College of New Jersey; her last day at Penn State will be June 30. She’s been in her current position at Penn State since 2023 and provides leadership and strategic oversight for the 20 commonwealth campuses. Prior to that, she was the chancellor of Penn State Abington.
Last month university President Neeli Bendapudi announced several commonwealth campuses will close, citing declining enrollments, demographic shifts and financial pressures that higher education has been facing. Bendapudi named DelliCarpini as one of the co-leaders of a group that will give her a final recommendation of which campuses should close.
That recommendation and Bendapudi’s decision is expected to come before the end of the spring semester. In the release announcing her departure, the university didn’t say if they would immediately fill the position or search for a replacement.
“The work is continuing to determine the future composition of the Commonwealth Campus ecosystem that will allow Penn State to continue its important mission and remain strong into the future. As the University progresses through this transition period the Commonwealth Campuses will receive comprehensive support from all levels of the organization,” the release states.
The release highlighted DelliCarpini’s recent work on implementing the Optimized Service Teams and regional leadership models at the commonwealth campuses. She also played a leadership role in the university’s “Future State” initiative.
Leaving Penn State is “bittersweet,” DelliCarpini said, and she noted the talented colleagues and dedicated students she worked with.
“I am proud of what we have accomplished together in advancing student success, academic excellence and community engagement,” DelliCarpini said. “While it is difficult to say goodbye, this new opportunity will allow me to be closer to family. I will always be grateful for my time at Penn State and I look forward to seeing the future Commonwealth Campus ecosystem being in a position to foster opportunity and supporting student growth across the University.”
In her new role, she will lead academic affairs and play a role in strategic planning and resource allocation. She’ll provide support to more than 360 full-time faculty and librarians at eight schools, supervising 160 degree programs and other initiatives, the release states.
In the release, Penn State’s interim executive vice president and provost Tracy Langkilde said she appreciated DelliCarpini’s leadership and dedication to the campuses.
“She has worked tirelessly to support students, faculty and staff across the state, and while we will miss her contributions, we recognize that this next step is a great fit for her and an opportunity to be close to her family. We wish her success in this new endeavor,” Langkilde said.
Before she arrived at Penn State, she was vice provost for strategic educational partnerships and dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She has her bachelor’s degree in linguistics, a master’s degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and a doctorate in linguistics from Stony Brook University.
