HARRISBURG, PA — Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) President Dr. Christopher M. Reber has a message for the HU community and the region the university serves: He’s glad to be home.
In a new video introduction, Dr. Reber — who became HU’s fourth president on June 30, 2026 — shares his central Pennsylvania roots, his path through a career devoted to higher education, and his enthusiasm for the university’s distinctive mission.
“I’m honored to be the fourth president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology,” Dr. Reber says in the video. “It’s a great honor to have been entrusted to lead Harrisburg University at this pivotal moment in its growth and trajectory. It has very special meaning to me, because I grew up here. This is home to me. I grew up in York, Pennsylvania. Born and raised there. I went to Dickinson College as an undergraduate in Carlisle, and my whole career has been in higher education.”
That career spans more than four decades in the Commonwealth and beyond. Dr. Reber spent 18 years at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, where he served as chief student affairs officer and chief advancement and university relations officer. He went on to serve as executive dean and cabinet member at Clarion University of Pennsylvania and as president of Community College of Beaver County near Pittsburgh before being named the eighth president of Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in New Jersey in 2018.
“It’s been an honor to work in a profession that changes lives fundamentally and provides opportunities,” Dr. Reber says. “Most of my career has been in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, until the last eight years, during which I’ve been president of Hudson County Community College. I love Pennsylvania, but I’m really excited in particular about the mission and value proposition of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. It’s a university unlike any that I’m aware of in the United States and beyond: a small, private university, relatively affordable, and offering a dynamic array of STEM-focused programs.”
Dr. Reber’s leadership at HCCC earned local, state, and national recognition, including being named the American Association of Community Colleges’ 2024 Community College CEO of the Year, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association’s 2025 Executive of the Year, and a 2026 Trailblazer in Higher Education by Insight Into Academia magazine.
Now, he says, he’s eager to bring that experience — and a leadership philosophy grounded in listening, transparency, and service — to Harrisburg.
“I’m inspired by the university, its mission, and the impact it has on our region — and far beyond that, on the nation and globally,” Dr. Reber says. “I love all parts of university life. I especially enjoy interacting with students. I love to hear students tell their stories, and I learn so much from that. But I also really value being part of a larger university family, championing the professional development of our faculty and staff, and building a university community where every person matters and every person’s perspective is celebrated for their unique contributions to our life-changing mission. It’s fun to be able to bring visibility to such a noble cause.”
Dr. Reber wasted no time putting that philosophy into practice. On his first day in office, he hosted a university-wide Town Hall Meeting, where he pledged to “listen before I lead,” announced that Town Halls will continue monthly, and committed to spending his first weeks and months on a listening tour across the university and the Harrisburg region. He also extended an open invitation to every member of the HU community to share ideas, questions, and concerns — whether by stopping by his office, dropping him a note, or joining him for regular “Pizza with the President” and “Coffee with the President” gatherings.
Dr. Reber holds a bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College, a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University, and a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh, and he earned a postgraduate certificate from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. He resides in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, with his husband, Kerry Stetler, and their two Boston terriers, Greta and Gilda.
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ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is an independent, nonprofit university offering degrees in advanced manufacturing, engineering, robotics, nursing, cybersecurity, and other critical fields. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, HU serves a diverse student body through bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs that link learning and research with practical applications. For information about HU’s affordable STEM degrees and professional development programs, call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay in the know by following Harrisburg University on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
MEDIA CONTACT
Do you have questions about this story? Interested in lining up an interview? Please contact Dan Wilhelm, Director of Communications for Harrisburg University, at DWilhelm@HarrisburgU.edu or 717.901.5100×1724.
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