Smith set to retire next year as Pitt-Greensburg president

Sharon P. Smith is entering her final year as president of the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

She announced Friday that she will retire, effective June 30 of next year, from the leading role she has held at the campus since 2007.

“It has been a privilege and an inspiration to serve as president — working together with our advisory board, faculty, staff and community to nurture our students and help them realize their dreams,” Smith said in a news release.

She is the fourth president of Pitt-Greensburg, having established it as the university’s second-largest regional campus, with nearly 1,600 full-time and part-time undergraduate students. She is a member of Pitt’s Council of Deans.

Smith is credited with leading the integration of Pitt- Greensburg’s liberal arts programs with digital learning, and with introducing new majors in nursing, health care management, public policy, education and Spanish, as well as four new certificate programs. The campus offers 29 undergraduate degrees along with 24 minors.

Other accomplishments include the establishment of the Center for Applied Research and Center for the Digital Text and the expansion of internships. Physical changes to the campus during her tenure include the construction of Frank A. Cassell Hall, which received a gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation for sustainable design and construction.

“Sharon has done everything that — more than a decade ago — she set out to accomplish,” Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said.

Smith has served on the boards of Excela Health, Economic Growth Connection, Smart Growth and the Westmoreland Cultural Trust. She has remained active with the TIAA Research Institute.

In her previous position at National University, Smith served as vice chancellor for academic affairs, provost and vice president for academic affairs, and special projects adviser. Prior to that, she served as professor of management systems and dean of the School of Business (now the Gabelli School) at Fordham University. She also held positions with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and AT&T.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff at 724-836-6622, jhimler@tribweb.com or via Twitter @jhimler_news.