John Friend VP for Admissions & Secondary Schools

Functional Area:
Admissions & Secondary Programs

Office location:
326 Market St, Room 1425, Harrisburg, PA 17101

John W. Friend serves as the Associate Vice President for UG Admissions & Secondary Programs at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. John’s focus with the University is to expand partnerships with secondary schools and further the mission of the university. He has an extensive background in public education as a teacher, school principal, Associate Superintendent, and Superintendent.

John retired from the Carlisle Area School District (CASD) where he served as Superintendent from 2009-2017. Under John’s leadership, CASD was one of the first districts in the area to offer online learning opportunities for all students, College in the High School, and college courses taught on the Carlisle High School campus for credit. Encouraging students to take college courses while still enrolled in high school provides the students with the insight of the academic rigor of college and the opportunity to decide if college is the correct career path for them upon graduation.

John has an undergraduate degree in education from Penn State University, an M. Ed. in Counseling and Administration from Millersville University, and a Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility from the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in Carlisle with his wife, Colleen, and two children, Allison and Kevin.