Emily Metzgar has been appointed dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Metzgar comes to her new role from Kent State University in Ohio, where she has served as director of the School of Journalism and Media for the past six years. Earlier, she spent over a decade on the faculty at Indiana University. In addition to her work in academia, Dr. Metzgar also has a background in diplomacy, policy analysis, and journalism. Her research centers on the intersection of media and foreign policy.
Dr. Metzgar is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she double-majored in political science and French. She holds a master’s degree in international politics from George Washington University and a Ph.D. in media and public affairs from Louisiana State University.
Betsy Becker was appointed dean of the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Dakota. Since 2020, Dr. Becker has served as chair of the department of health and rehabilitation services in the College of Allied Health Professions at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has taught at the university for more than two decades, rising from a lecturer to a tenured professor, and also serving as a graduate faculty member and director of the physical therapy department.
Dr. Becker received her master of physical therapy degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and her doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of South Dakota. Later in her career, she completed a Ph.D. in preventive and societal medicine from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Samantha D. Penney is the founding dean of HamptonU Global, the newly expanded digital learning enterprise for Hampton University in Virginia. Dr. Penney has more than two decades of experience in curriculum innovation, instructional design, and online program development. Prior to joining the Hampton faculty, she was the learning design manager and distance learning director at Indiana State University. Her research focuses on strengthening engagement and learning outcomes in online environments.
Dr. Penney holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from South Dakota State University. She earned a master’s degree in mass communication from the University of South Dakota, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in media technology from Indiana State University.
Kate Klepper was named dean of the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College in Massachusetts. Her appointment marks a return to Babson, where she previously served as dean of graduate admission. For the past two decades, Klepper has been associate dean for graduate business programs in the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston. Beyond her position at Northeastern, Klepper previously held leadership roles on the board of the Graduate Management Admission Council.
A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Klepper earned her MBA from Northeastern University.