Who is Neeli Bendapudi? First Woman President of Pennsylvania State University

The Indian origin American citizen from Louisville, Neeli Bendapudi has been appointed as 18th President of Pennsylvania State University(PSU).

For the first time in the history of the university, a woman and also a person of colour will be appointed as the President of the prestigious American University. She attained her bachelors and masters degrees from Andhra University.

Who is Neeli Bendapudi?

1. Bendapudi belongs to Vishakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh. She moved to the United States of America for her higher studies in 1986.

2. She will the first woman and first person of colour to join the Pennsylvania State University as its President.

3. Bendapudi has an academic career record of more than 30 years. She did her PhD from Kansas University and has an expertise in marketing and consumer behaviour .

4. Currently she is holding the position of President at University of Louisville. She also has experience of several years in holding administrative positions like Provost and Executive Vice chancellor, Dean of the school of business at the University of Kansas.

5. At the Ohio State University, she has served as founding director of Initiative for Managing Services.

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6. She was selected by the Penn States Board of Trustees on December 9, 2021.

7. Bendapudi will start her tenure as 19th President of PSU from the upcoming spring in 2022. She received overwhelming support from the 18 member group that consisted of faculty, staff members, students and trustee representatives

8. After being selected as the President for Pennsylvania State University, Bendapudi thanked the trustees and community at PSU and said," I am grateful for this opportunity and will make it my mission to help Penn State reach new heights across each of our campuses."

9. She will be succeeding President Eric J Baron who has served as American academic administrator and President of PSU.

10. Having served as 18th President for University of Louisville, Bendapudi oversees Division 1 athletics program, twelve academic colleges under the university and five hospitals, 200 physicians, four medical centres under the integrated academic health system.

Lori Stewart Gonzalez has been named as interim president for University of Louisville from December 13, 2021.