Penn State Provost Nick Jones to Step Down, Take New Position

Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones will step down from his position on Aug. 15, the university announced Wednesday.

Jones will transition into a role as a special assistant to President Neeli Bendapudi through the end of 2022, and will also return to the College of Engineering as a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

“I have been inspired every day by Penn State’s talented faculty, staff and students,” Jones said. “I am so proud of everyone who shows such commitment to this wonderful University. I’ve always said that the best thing about Penn State is our amazing and resilient people, and, for me, too, you have been the highlight of the past nine years. As I transition into a new role at the University, I will always value this community and the impact we’ve made.”

Justin Schwartz, dean of the College of Engineering, will serve as the interim executive vice president and provost following a transitional period in mid-July.

Jones was named Penn State’s executive vice president and provost in 2013 after spending 25 years at Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering, including nine as dean. Among his many efforts while at Penn State, Jones chaired the council that developed the strategic plan, “Our Commitment to Impact,” which has guided the university’s innovation and advancement since 2016.

Additionally, Jones helped diversify Penn State’s leaders by recruiting several accomplished deans and executives to the university. He worked on recruiting diverse faculty members, as well as the retention of staff members.

“Provost Jones has had a tremendous impact on the academic footprint of this University that will be felt for many years to come,” Bendapudi said. “He has always been a champion for those around him and an innovative leader in critical areas, from strategic planning, to community building, to streamlining the ways we work together as a modern, 21st-century university to fulfill our mission. I am very pleased he will remain on as a special assistant in my office as his knowledge and experience are invaluable.”

Penn State plans to conduct a national search for Jones’ successor this fall with the hopes of finding his replacement during the spring 2023 semester.