The governing board of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) has elected to go in an unorthodox direction with their choice as Mansfield University President. Rather than looking inside the typical education field circles PASSHE chose Brigadier General Francis Hendricks to lead the school.
While it may come as a shock having a person with no education or teaching experience run a university, there is no doubt that he is up to the task. The 56 year old is a Mansfield alum having graduated from the school in 1979 with a political science and criminal justice degree.
He followed that up with a Master of Science degree in systems management from the University of Southern California after serving in the Philippines and South Korea. He later went on to attend Squadron Officer School and Air Command and Staff College at the Maxwell Air Force Base and received a Master of Strategic Studies from the Air War College in Alabama.
“Gen. Hendricks is a proven leader with an outstanding record of success throughout a distinguished career,” said head of board Guido Pichini. “We are confident he will continue to demonstrate that leadership and success as president of Mansfield University.”
For five years Hendricks lead the Army and Air Force Exchange Service which is a soldier owned retail co-op that employs more than 43,000 nonmilitary workers and has revenues in excess of $10 billion per year. The chain has locations worldwide and encompasses a multitude of services including gas stations, department stores, theaters, food services and more.
“I look forward to working with the great faculty and administrative team assembled at Mansfield,” Hendricks said in a statement. “Working together, I am confident we will prepare MU students for the many opportunities and rewarding challenges that await each of them. I am H2S. Here to Serve.”