Dear Juniata Community,
As we emerge from a productive and enjoyable Homecoming/Family Weekend and Board meeting, I am reminded of our strong, resilient, and vibrant community and want to express my deep gratitude as chair of the Board of Trustees for all you have done to ensure Juniata thrives. We appreciate so much your commitment to this incredibly special place.
As he heads into his eleventh year, President Troha has skillfully led Juniata through some challenging times while also embarking on a bold new direction for the future. Among Juniata’s recent successes, we received the Middle States reaccreditation, launched a new strategic plan that positions us well for the challenges ahead, completed the largest campaign in our history, developed new academic programs and support services for students, started the process for a new campus master plan, and just welcomed the third largest class of students in our history. This is a wonderful moment for Juniata as we head into 2024.
Considering these accomplishments and his continued strong leadership of Juniata, I am pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees voted to extend President Troha’s contract through 2029 and approved a presidential sabbatical for the spring 2024 semester. The Board supports President Troha taking time to prepare to deliver on the numerous priorities in the new strategic plan, including our next campaign that will be our largest in history; pursuing continued professional development and scholarly interests; and finding opportunities for personal renewal. It is a blessing that Jim and Jennifer have been at Juniata for over 10 years, and the Board looks forward to them continuing to advance Juniata College into the future.
To facilitate this sabbatical, the Board has asked Provost Lauren Bowen to serve as the acting president and Associate Provost Dom Peruso to serve as acting provost for the spring semester. Dr. Bowen and Dr. Peruso have the full support of the Board and the Senior Leadership Team to ensure continued focus on our key strategic commitments. We are fortunate to have such capable senior leaders who have worked in concert with President Troha to advance the college’s strategic objectives and who bring a wealth of experience to their roles to serve and support the Juniata community.
Thank you again for your excellent work.
Mary M. White ’73
Chair, Board of Trustees