Pittsburgh Technical College officials select 30-year veteran as its president

Pittsburgh Technical College officials tapped a Baltimore native as their president.

Alicia B. Harvey-Smith, executive vice chancellor of Lone Star College in Houston, was named the new head of the technical school in Oakdale.

She has 30 years of experience in leadership, strategic planning, enrollment management, government and corporate partnerships and student achievement.

Harvey-Smith will work with the board of trustees and campus community to create a vision for the college’s future. Her appointment is effective July 1.

Eli Shorak, chairman of the college’s presidential search committee, shared the group’s excitement via press release.

“Throughout her career, Dr. Harvey-Smith has embraced the values that are the foundation PTC is built on — providing an immersive, career-focused education,” said Shorak. “She is a deeply engaged leader who has a demonstrated history of emphasizing skills-based, experiential education, the very tenets of PTC.”

Harvey-Smith earned a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Master of Science degree from The Johns Hopkins University, Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State University, and a Certificate of Completion from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education Seminars for Presidential Leadership.

Her previous experience includes serving as president and CEO of River Valley Community College in New Hampshire and as vice president of student affairs at Baltimore City Community College.

“I look forward to working with the college’s board, faculty, staff, students, alumni and community stakeholders to write the next chapter of the Pittsburgh Technical College story, to build upon its legacy of achievement and to position it as a college of first choice among associate- and bachelor-degree-granting institutions,” Harvey-Smith said.

More information about Pittsburgh Technical College is available at ptcollege.edu.