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The College of Saint Rose in Albany will get a new president this summer: Dr. David Szczerbacki, the current provost and vice president for academic affairs, will replace Dr. R. Mark Sullivan, who is retiring from the post after 16 years.

Dr. Szczerbacki said he looks forward to continuing the momentum set by his predecessor, who boosted the college's academic reputation, size and geographic reach.

"I've been fortunate to work directly with him for eight years," Dr. Szczerbacki said. "He's been a transformative leader. I think I understand what being an excellent college president is all about. He is a great role model for me."

Already, Dr. Szczerbacki has developed new academic programs at CSR - such as bachelor's degrees in music and criminal justice and majors in geology and biology - and hired and evaluated faculty.

He and others have stressed undergraduate research and community service as learning tools and expanded enrollment of international students.

The college's academic ranking (a statistic compiled by U.S. News and World Report) has improved by about 30 spots in recent years.

"It's a fun job," he said of being provost and vice president of a 5,000-student college. "You have your hands in a lot of places."

Dr. Szczerbacki was previously provost and vice president at Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science, a master's in urban systems and a doctorate in policy studies. He has worked in urban and regional planning, economic development and more.

In his time at CSR, he said, the college has evolved from a commuter school that drew primarily from the Capital Region to a more far-reaching choice, creating higher demand for student housing. He looks forward to the completion of a new, 225-room residence hall this fall.

Also in the works is the first building dedicated solely to CSR's School of Business.

In his new role, Dr. Szczerbacki will get the chance to finish new facilities, develop master plans and increase the college's endowment and fundraising capabilities, all while looking ahead to CSR's 2020 centennial.

"I do look forward to spending more time with alumni," he added. As president, "you have an opportunity to impact the institution kind of longer-term. That's some pretty heady stuff."

Dr. Szczerbacki attends St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany. The spiritual community and values espoused by CSR, which was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1920, originally drew him to the college: "I continue to view that as really a hallmark" of CSR, he said. "We walk the talk - and it's evident to me every day."[[In-content Ad]]

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