Utica College names Pfannesteil new provost, VP for academic affairs

Pfannestiel succeeds John Johnsen, who retired last month after 40 years at the college, according to a release.

Pfannestiel comes to Utica from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where he was interim provost and vice president for academic affairs and acting president.

Pfannestiel earned his doctorate from The College of William and Mary and his bachelor’s from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He completed a National Science Foundation graduate research fellowship at Duke University. “A historian, his research and writing has focused on a variety of themes, ranging from American civil liberties to the Vietnam War, through the lens of oral history and popular culture,” the release said.

“I cannot be more excited to have someone with Dr. Pfannestiel’s experience, talent, and perspective fill the incredible void that Provost Johnsen leaves,” said Laura Casamento, Utica College’s president.

“He is a collaborative, confident, and innovative administrator with an exceptional record of achievement and a demonstrated ability to articulate a vision and the path to getting there,” she said. “More importantly, he is a passionate educator who is deeply committed to student-centered teaching, the value of the liberal arts, and high-impact learning.”