Indian-origin Neeli Bendapudi scripts history, becomes 1st woman to be president of Penn State University

Neeli Bendapudi, an Indian-origin academic, has made history by becoming the first woman and person of colour to be appointed president of America's famed Pennsylvania State University, the educational institution said on Thursday. Bendapudi, born in Visakhapatnam and moved to the United States for higher education in 1986, is presently the president and professor of marketing at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.

According to a statement on the University's website, she was overwhelmingly chosen Penn State's next president by the Penn State Board of Trustees on December 9. According to the University, when she takes over as Penn State's 19th president in the spring of 2022, she will be the first woman and person of colour to hold the position.

Bendapudi, the University of Louisville's 18th president, is a well-known higher education administrator who specialises in marketing and consumer behaviour. She has nearly 30 years of experience in academia, having taught marketing and served in various administrative roles, including provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of Kansas. She worked as dean of the University of Kansas School of Business and founding director of the Initiative for Managing Services at Ohio State University. Bendapudi has committed her career to student achievement, encouraging diversity, and providing chances for students, educators, and staff to succeed, emphasising cooperation and growth.

 

 

 

 

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Bendapudi will follow President Eric J Barron, who will retire after more than 30 years at Penn State. She worked at Huntington National Bank as executive vice president and chief customer officer. She has also worked as a consultant for some of the world"s top corporations and organisations, including AIG, Proctor & Gamble, and the United States Army.

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Bendapudi has taught marketing at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate levels over her 27-year teaching career. She has garnered multiple colleges and national teaching accolades, including the Academy of Marketing Science Outstanding Marketing Teacher Award. She has taught at Louisville, Kansas, Texas A&M, and Ohio State.

She received her bachelor's degree in English, master's degree in business administration, and PhD in marketing from Andhra University in India. She is married to Dr. Venkat Bendapudi, who has just resigned from Ohio State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Louisville.

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• Indian-origin
• Neeli Bendapudi
• Penn State University
• University of Louisville