(Posted September 22, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Thomas R. Kepple Jr., president of Juniata College, has been named to the Higher Education Cabinet by the editors of the Chronicle of Higher Education and the New York Times.

As a member of the cabinet, Kepple will travel to New York City once a year to meet with journalists and editors from both newspapers. The inaugural meeting of the group was Sept. 15.

The group also will hold a series of webinars and virtual meetings with college presidents and administrators throughout the year. Kepple is one of 76 college or university presidents, trustees and leaders to join the cabinet.

Kepple became Juniata's 11th president in 1998. Prior to that, he was vice president for business and community at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., from 1989 to 1998. At Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., he served as director of administrative services from 1975 to 1981, dean of administrative services from 1981 to 1986, and as provost from 1986 to 1989.

Kepple is the founding chair for the Tuition Plan Consortium, a nonprofit corporation overseeing the development of a national pre-paid college tuition program for private colleges and universities--an innovative option for making high quality private education more accessible to students and families. Kepple has also completed extensive work on the development and implementation of early retirement programs for faculty, having co-authored the book "Incentive Early Retirement Programs for Faculty," with Jay Chronister of the University of Virginia. He served as the vice chair of Governor Rendell's higher education transition team. He also is the founding chair of the new Landmark NCAA Division III athletic conference.

He earned a bachelor's degree in 1970 from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa. He went on to earn a master's degree in business administration in 1974 and a doctorate in higher education in 1984, both from Syracuse University. Prior to obtaining the M.B.A., Kepple was the Director of Technical Training for the Morse Division of the Borg-Warner Corporation.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.