President's Office: Memorandum
To: All Faculty, Staff and Students
From: C.R. Pennoni, Interim President
Subject: Dr. Mark Greenberg Appointed Provost
Date: 29 April 2009
I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Greenberg as Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs effective immediately. I have appointed Dr. Greenberg to this position following a great deal of consultation and careful deliberation. During my due diligence in considering this appointment, I was very impressed with the great respect and support he commands from colleagues in the Drexel community. His work in the Provost's office during the past nine months has brought people together to advance our mission and strengthen our University. His commitment to Drexel is demonstrated by many years of dedication and success with the various assignments he has undertaken and the academic leadership positions he has held. Dr. Greenberg has the mandate to continue advancing our strategic plan and enhancing the quality of our academic enterprise while ensuring that we continue the great momentum that has been underway.
Dr. Greenberg, who has been part of the Drexel community for 29 years, has an intimate knowledge of the institution on many levels and, through his development of innovative interdisciplinary programs, has aided Drexel's transformation. He has administered honors programs and was founding dean of the Pennoni Honors College. He has lead the development and implementation of innovative interdisciplinary academic programs, including building the Honors community in quality and size, and introducing the Drexel Cultural Passport, Visiting Scholars, the Great Works Symposia, Drexel's online magazine, The Smart Set from Drexel University (http://www.thesmartset.com), and the University Writing Program. He established the Center for Civic Engagement and Study Abroad program, while also providing academic oversight for the Co-op 101 course and the development of STAR, our successful undergraduate research initiative.
As Interim Provost, Dr. Greenberg has launched interdisciplinary academic initiatives and approaches to hiring, created collaborative forums to support online education, developed portals to encourage undergraduate creative engagements, research and coordination of campus-wide offerings. He has worked closely with senior leadership in planning and improving space, improving student persistence, supporting off-campus initiatives, and in advancing the goals and aspirations of our colleges and schools.
Dr. Greenberg earned his bachelor's degree from Queens College of the City University of New York and master's and doctoral degrees in EnglishLanguage and Literature from the University of Michigan. He has published three books and more than 30 articles or chapters in books anddelivered more than 80 invited presentations and keynote addresses on 18th and 19th century British literature.
Prior to joining Drexel, he taught at the University of Michigan and Saginaw Valley University. He was also a Visiting Professor at Swarthmore College and a National Endowment for the Humanities Post-Doctoral Fellow at Princeton University. His teaching at Drexel has been recognized with the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Dr. Greenberg has chaired the executive committee of the Modern Language Association's Division of Literature and Science, and is a founder and past president of the Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts. For years Dr. Greenberg was review editor of Brown University's Modern Language Studies and serves on a number of editorial and executive boards. He has evaluated grants and educational programs for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Science Foundation and consulted for the National Film Board of Canada and for the president of The New School.
On a personal note, Dr. Greenberg's good work as Dean of the Pennoni Honors College brought great pride to my family and myself as well as to the Drexel community. I am confident that I speak for the entire Drexel University community in wishing him well and in extending our sincere congratulations.
C.R. Pennoni
Interim President, Drexel University