UE President Touts Designation’s Social, Student Impact
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe new president of the University of Evansville says a designation from a global education and entrepreneurship network has been a catalyst to increasing enrollment. Christopher Pietruskiewicz says Ashoka U named the school its only Changemaker Campus in Indiana. The designation means UE is collaborating with other Changemaker Campuses and Ashoka U’s network of entrepreneurs to promote social innovation. Last month, the school reported a 13 percent year-over-year increase in the size of its incoming freshman class.
During a Studio(i) interview with Inside INdiana Business Television Host Gerry Dick, Pietruszkiewicz said the designation has led to several changes and new programs on the Evansville campus.
The university says it is the 47th in the world to be designated an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus. The program is designed to cultivate a culture empowering students to change the world around them, starting on campus. Pietruszkiewic says the collaboration with Ashoka U has led to efforts ranging from a bikeshare program to collaborations among different academic departments for student projects. He says MBA students are also now working on case studies that evolve with time, rather than working on the same problems year after year.
The school named Pietruszkiewicz its 24th president in March. He officially began in July. He previously served as dean of the Stetson University College of Law in Florida, which is an autonomous part of the university and has a $40 million annual budget. He also held faculty and leadership positions at George Mason University and Louisiana State University. He holds degrees from the University of Scranton, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Georgetown University Law Center.
Pietruszkiewicz succeeded Tom Kazee, who announced last year he would step down after eight years leading the school.