A dean from the University of Pennsylvania will soon head to Richmond to take the lead at Earlham College.

Paul Sniegowski is a biologist and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the Philadelphia school.  But he’s also an Indiana native, with degrees in both music and biology from Indiana University.  The Earlham Board of Trustees calls Sniegowski a strong researcher and much appreciated academic leader.

He becomes the 21st president of Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion, succeeding Anne Houtman, who has led for five years.

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In his work at Penn, Sniegowski is an advocate for first generation, low-income students.  In biology, he focuses on evolutionary and population genetic theory, relating to mutations.

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In a statement, Sniegowski says he is excited to join the Richmond liberal arts school, which he says “brings together a diversity of people to explore ideas, to learn to think and to go out and contribute to the world for good.”

Sniegowski begins at Earlham on August 1.

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.