UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Levon Esters — associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion and faculty affairs for Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute and professor of agricultural sciences education — has been named dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at Penn State. Esters will begin his appointment on May 1, 2023.
As vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School, Esters will provide mission-critical leadership and oversight across all of Penn State’s more than 200 graduate fields of study, including 109 research master’s degree programs, 99 professional master’s degree programs and 95 research doctoral programs. He will oversee the admission, matriculation and graduation of all graduate students across the University, with the exception of professional students in the College of Medicine, Dickinson Law and Penn State Law.
A core focus of Esters’ career has been developing programs to support underrepresented graduate students, with emphasis on STEM-based agricultural and life sciences disciplines. His research explores issues of educational equity and access of marginalized and minoritized students, with a concentration on the mentoring needs of Black graduate students; career development for students in STEM who attend historically Black land-grant universities; and educational and professional mobility and development of Black graduate students and faculty.
“Dr. Esters is a respected mentor, educator, and scholar who brings a wealth of experience and leadership that will be critical to Penn State’s continued growth and success as a leader in graduate education worldwide,” said Justin Schwartz, Penn State’s interim executive vice president and provost. “We all will benefit from Dr. Esters’ depth of knowledge and expertise as a researcher, teacher and leader. Dr. Esters has an excellent track record of developing programming designed to serve the needs of students from underrepresented backgrounds, and his leadership will be invaluable to promoting the continued excellence and growth of graduate education at Penn State.”
In his role at Purdue, Esters has built collaborative partnerships among land-grant institutions, industry, and constituents at the university. Since 2012, he also has served as director of the Mentoring@Purdue program, which enhances the experiences of graduate students, faculty and staff by fostering effective mentoring relationships within Purdue’s College of Agriculture. He is also director of Cornell University’s Thomas Wyatt Turner Fellowship Program, a role through which he builds connections between land-grant institutions and minority-serving institutions emphasizing graduate student success. Prior to joining Purdue, Esters was the coordinator of the Agriculture Teacher Education Program in Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture.
Esters holds a doctoral degree in agricultural and extension education from Penn State.
“I am both honored and thrilled to return to my alma mater in this crucial leadership role,” Esters said. “Penn State is doing tremendous work to prepare a diverse group of future leaders through graduate education, and I am looking forward to working with the University’s leadership team and my colleagues in the Graduate School to build on these successes and amplify Penn State’s impact across Pennsylvania and around the world.”
A renowned scholar and mentor, Esters has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including an offered Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to be completed at a future date; the Jefferson Award from Purdue's Office of Engagement, granted each year to individuals who reflect the spirit of Purdue as a land-grant university through giving back to their communities in a meaningful way; and the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring's Faculty Mentor of the Year award. His research has been funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the National Science Foundation. He has published more than 70 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, has formally mentored more than 50 graduate students, and has been invited to present his work at more than 100 panels and workshops. In addition to his doctoral degree from Penn State, Esters holds a master of science degree in agricultural education from North Carolina A&T State University, and a bachelor of science degree in agricultural business from Florida A&M University.
Esters will succeed Kathryn Drager, associate dean for graduate education and research for Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development, who has served as interim dean and vice provost since Jan. 1, 2022, following the retirement of Regina Vasilatos-Younken.
“We have been fortunate as an institution to be able to rely on Dr. Drager’s depth of knowledge and experience in graduate program success as she has filled this critical leadership role over the past year,” Schwartz said. “We’re grateful for her leadership, and look forward to continuing to work with her as she resumes her responsibilities in the College of Health and Human Development.”
Drager’s interim appointment will end on May 8, 2023.