Darcy Medica has been named Penn State Hazleton’s new campus chief academic officer, effective Jan. 1, 2027. Credit: Provided . All Rights Reserved .
HAZLETON, Pa. — Penn State Northeast Regional Chancellor Menah Pratt has announced the appointment of Darcy Medica as Penn State Hazleton’s new campus chief academic officer (CCAO). Her appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2027.
In her new role, she will lead all academic programs and faculty affairs; support student success initiatives; and collaborate with campus and University leaders to advance Penn State Hazleton's strategic goals.
Medica brings more than two decades of higher education leadership, teaching, research and student success experience to the position. She has served in senior executive leadership roles including provost and vice president for academic affairs, director of academic affairs, interim chancellor and tenured professor — bringing a collaborative and evidence-informed approach to academic leadership and organizational transformation.
Most recently, Medica served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at SUNY Cobleskill College of Agriculture and Technology, where she led all aspects of the academic enterprise, including curriculum, accreditation, faculty affairs, academic budgeting, grants management, assessment, strategic planning, workforce development and student success initiatives.
During her tenure, she launched the institution's first fully online bachelor's degree, established an undergraduate research program, secured significant external funding, implemented innovative student support programs and led initiatives that increased first-year persistence and expanded educational pathways for transfer students, dual-enrollment and adult learners.
"Dr. Medica is a highly respected academic leader whose record demonstrates a deep commitment to student success, faculty excellence and innovative academic programming," Pratt said. "Her extensive experience within Penn State and her proven ability to advance strategic priorities make her exceptionally well positioned to lead the academic mission at Penn State Hazleton."
Prior to joining SUNY Cobleskill, she served as director of academic affairs at Penn State Schuylkill, where she provided leadership for academic programs, faculty development, enrollment growth, assessment, retention initiatives, and strategic planning. Under her leadership, the campus experienced substantial gains in student retention, enrollment, and graduation rates while expanding academic offerings to better align with workforce and regional economic needs. She also served as interim chancellor, overseeing campus operations, fundraising, community engagement, strategic planning and external partnerships. During that period, the campus achieved significant fundraising success, expanded academic and co-curricular opportunities, strengthened community partnerships and completed major capital projects.
Throughout her career, Medica has championed student-centered innovation, inclusive excellence, undergraduate research and workforce development. She has successfully secured and managed federal, state and private grant funding, including U.S. National Science Foundation support for academic innovation, laboratory modernization, undergraduate research, and workforce development initiatives. Her career has been marked by a commitment to increasing access, improving student outcomes, strengthening academic quality, and building collaborative partnerships that advance institutional mission and community impact.
Before entering academic administration, she was a faculty member in biology at Penn State Schuylkill, where she developed academic programs, mentored undergraduate researchers, expanded honors education opportunities, and led numerous funded projects. Earlier appointments included a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship at New York University School of Medicine, along with teaching positions at Temple University and Huston-Tillotson University.
“I am honored to join Penn State Hazleton and look forward to advancing the campus’s strategic priorities, supporting student success, and engaging with faculty, staff, students and the broader community,” Medica said. “Returning to the Penn State community in a leadership role where I can contribute meaningfully to its future is both a privilege and an exciting opportunity.”
She has served on numerous nonprofit, healthcare, workforce, and economic development boards and has participated in nationally recognized leadership development programs through the American Council on Education, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and the Big Ten Academic Alliance.
Medica earned a doctorate in animal sciences; a master's degree in animal sciences and a bachelor's degree in animal sciences, all from Rutgers University. Following completion of her doctoral studies, she held a postdoctoral fellowship in medical and molecular parasitology at the New York University School of Medicine. Her research has focused on parasitology, infectious diseases, mosquito-borne illnesses and the pedagogy of high impact practices in student learning.
She currently lives in Jefferson, New York, with her husband Joe and has two sons: Joseph, who graduated with a degree in biology from Penn State Schuylkill in 2021; and Aidan, who is currently in his first year at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and plans to major in biochemistry.