Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells

Marilyn J. Wells

Marilyn J. Wells, Ph.D. is the chancellor of Penn State Brandywine. Wells’ appointment was effective January 13, 2020. 

Wells previously served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In that position, she worked closely with university leadership to develop and implement the university’s strategic directions and developed and implemented the university’s first-ever integrated academic master plan. The master plan led to a new integrated advising model, faculty and student research opportunities, increases in external grants and the expansion of strategic partnerships.

Additional accomplishments during Wells’ tenure at Minnesota State University, Mankato include launching more than 30 new academic programs across six academic colleges, the creation of the university’s first-ever endowed chair position, increased international educational exchanges and the development of an international affairs strategic plan, as well as the development of a diversity and inclusion plan.

Before joining Minnesota State University, Wells served as vice provost and graduate dean of East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. In that position, Wells played a key role in developing and implementing seven new academic programs, enhanced the university’s academic programs through new curriculum models and program revisions, helped modernize university operations through the launch of multiple university-wide enterprise systems, provided leadership for more than 400 full- and part-time faculty, and oversaw an increase of 47 percent in the university’s unrepresented graduate student enrollment.

Her experience in higher education also includes serving as the department chair in Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. Wells also has previously worked as a professor of health education at Hampton University and Youngstown State University, in Youngstown, Ohio. Her experience outside of higher education includes leadership positions in the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Center for Health Information in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Wells holds a doctoral degree in health education from Southern Illinois University, two master’s degrees in public health and health education from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor’s degree in home economics education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.