True to You, Dear Old Red and Blue

THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT CHARLES E. PATTERSON

These were some of the closing words of Dr. Charles E. Patterson during his inauguration as Shippensburg University’s 18th president on October 27, 2022. It’s a commitment to collaboration that has been a cornerstone of his leadership since arriving as interim president in June of 2021.

When crafting remarks and messages to campus, Patterson’s intentional use of “we,” is ever present. He’s clear in his messaging and actions, the future of Shippensburg University is not up to one person, but rather a collaborative effort that he is committed to leading.

He is also quick to make one thing clear; time is of the essence.

“Let’s not look back two or three years from today and realize that we didn’t do enough, that we weren’t flexible enough, that we didn’t set our sights high enough, that we didn’t take full advantage of this moment to put Ship and its students first above everything else,” he said.

The moment for Ship is now, with Patterson setting clear priorities that the campus community will tackle together. Each priority will contribute to stabilized enrollment, fiscal health, and the advancement of the university’s academic mission.

Student Success and Belonging

Part of his vision to increase student success and retention seems simple, but he believes it can have a big impact.

“We must all embrace our role in recruitment and retention, as our actions and our mindset shape our campus culture and how we interact with others. We all have a role in the recruitment, retention, and the success of our Ship students. The individual interactions we have with a student can have a profound effect on their decision to enroll and progress at Ship,” he said.

For Patterson, this means continuing his practice of giving out his personal cell phone number to students, prospective students, families, and friends. This demonstration of support yields not only a lot of questions and comments he’s more than willing to answer, but an environment of open dialogue and support that is key to each students’ journey.

He also acknowledges the shift in different “wraparound” services students need as they emerge from the pandemic and witness national and global events that will shape their future.

In September of 2022, Patterson welcomed the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jen Smith ’04 to campus, to highlight the Raider Wellness Resource Center and Recovery Resource Space. Through these spaces, all students, including those in recovery, can access information on different campus resources and support that ensures their success at Ship.

In November 2022, Patterson named Dr. Manny Ruiz as the assistant vice president for inclusion and belonging and director of Social Equity. Ruiz’s appointment furthers the university’s commitment to identifying and implementing strategies to address diversity, discrimination, bias, campus engagement, politics, religion, wellness, and social belonging in an effort to create a climate of inclusion and belonging across all communities within the university.

And there are early indicators that this shift is working. In the fall, Ship reported a 5.6 percent increase in first-time-in-college undergraduate enrollment, a one percent increase in second year retention, and a 5.2 percent increase in graduation rate.

The Future of Higher Education

With the landscape of higher education rapidly evolving, colleges and universities across the nation must evolve or be left behind. The reality is, there are less high school students to recruit, but it doesn’t mean there are less students in need of academic and career growth. The university will continue its traditional role of serving high school students but must begin to better serve the needs of adult learners, working learners, and students with parental responsibilities.

This means delivering academic courses and services that align with a student’s needs and stages of their career and life while meeting workforce demands.

It is estimated that Pennsylvania requires 6,000 more credentials per year, which amounts to the need for 18,000 more students to meet existing workforce needs. For Ship, this means reaching underserved students, working adults, students with some college but no degree, and adults with no credentials by providing a latticed educational approach where they can more flexibly move between education and career as they improve their economic mobility.

With collaboration always at the forefront of his presidency, Patterson and interim provost Nicole Hill called the “All Hands” meeting last fall, inviting the campus community to learn, listen, and give feedback that will help guide Ship’s path forward. He invited all to take a careful and allencompassing look at the mix of programs and pathways, student support infrastructures, delivery modalities, and opportunities for new pathways to student success.

These conversations continue to occur in the form of working groups, surveys, and Patterson’s open-door policy for anyone with an idea to share.

“There is not a single person or a single solution that will convert these opportunities into successes. Only together, as an institution with no barriers between faculty, staff, and administration, will we be able to move this incredible university forward,” said Patterson.

The Frontline Leadership Credentialing Program is a prime example of the type of shifts Ship is making. This unique collaboration between Shippensburg University, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), the GIANT Company, Bake Crafters and SCPAworks, provides non-credit programs to address critical workforce shortages in the agribusiness industry.

With its inaugural class, the program delivered training on increasing sales and asset protection, forecasting and increasing supply efficiencies, and leadership skills. Twenty GIANT employees, including floor managers, bakery managers, front-end managers, HR generalists, and warehouse directors, completed the first round of training, and new cohorts are in the works for the future.

Together We Can

Patterson’s focus on collaboration extends far beyond the campus community in big and small ways.

“We are entering a new era of collaboration at Ship with nonprofit and corporate partners, building something meaningful and great together, for mutual benefit,” said Patterson.

You can catch Patterson and First Lady Colleen at most local community events, always proudly decked out in their Ship gear. From the New Year’s Eve Anchor Drop to the Corn Festival and more, the Pattersons are everywhere.

In fact, Colleen was the driving force behind the return of the university homecoming parade.

“We were excited to bring back this event in hopes that the entire community would join us in welcoming back our valued alumni and celebrating Shippensburg,” said Colleen.

But this work goes far beyond parades and festivals. Patterson carries a full schedule of meetings with legislators, local government officials, and business leaders in the eight-county region around Shippensburg.

But he isn’t the only member of the campus community engaged with this work. Faculty and staff have been encouraged to fortify existing relationships and pave the road to new ones.

In January, he joined the 2023 cohort of his President’s Leadership Academy on a site visit to Volvo Construction Equipment Shippensburg, the global technology hub, and Sales Region Americas and Operations Americas headquarters.

PLA scholars met with Volvo leadership to learn more about the company’s operation and culture, identify collaboration opportunities, and see first-hand the contributions of Ship interns, which totaled 45 this year.

With his commitment to collaboration and fiscal stability, Patterson has also prioritized a stronger relationship with the Shippensburg University Foundation. He’s worked closely alongside Dr. Leslie Folmer Clinton, president and CEO of the Shippensburg University Foundation, to realize a 113 percent increase in charitable contributions last year, including the recent naming of the Milton and Doreen Morgan School of Engineering. Through this enhanced partnership, the university will expand financial support for students and faculty.

Be True

The priorities Patterson shared during his inauguration are clear, and so is his commitment. As part of the inauguration celebration, he gifted those in attendance with a challenge coined adorned with the familiar words of the university alma mater “We’ll be true to you, dear old red and blue.”

Another intentional use of “we” and he further explained the meaning.

“It is that simple—putting the institution and students first. Moving Ship forward is not about themes and nautical references or something else. Let’s be true to ourselves, be true to the institution, and be open to collaborative change—change that will allow our dear old red and blue to thrive for generations to come.”