DeFoor — Pennsylvania’s 50th Auditor General and a graduate of HU’s Project Management program — returns to address the Class of 2026 during the University’s 25th anniversary year.
HARRISBURG, PA — Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is proud to announce that Pennsylvania’s Auditor General, Timothy L. DeFoor, will serve as the keynote speaker for its 2026 Commencement Ceremony. The selection brings DeFoor — a graduate of HU’s Master of Science in Project Management program — back to where he earned the credential he credits as foundational to his career in auditing and public service. His return is especially meaningful in 2026, as Harrisburg University celebrates its 25th anniversary.
A Susquehanna Township native, DeFoor began his career as a special investigator with the Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General and as a special agent with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, where he investigated Medicaid fraud. He went on to serve as a fraud investigator and internal auditor at UPMC Health Plan, and as a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. In 2015, he was elected Dauphin County Controller, where he established the county’s first Audit Division and led an effort that produced eight consecutive national awards for excellence in financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
In 2020, DeFoor was elected the 50th Auditor General of Pennsylvania, becoming the first person of color elected to any statewide row office in the Commonwealth’s history. He was reelected to a second term in 2024. Across more than three decades in auditing and fraud investigation, his career has been defined by a focus on accountability, transparency, and good government.
DeFoor’s record of service extends well beyond the office he holds. He is a former chair of the HACC Foundation Board and has served on the boards of the YMCA of Pennsylvania and the Chris “Handles” Franklin Foundation. He is a member of the Greater Harrisburg NAACP and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #78. As Auditor General, he has channeled his civic commitments into two signature initiatives: “Be Money Smart,” a financial literacy effort focused on K–12 students across Pennsylvania, and “Intern to Hire,” which creates career pathways for college students within his department.
Ahead of Commencement, we asked Auditor General DeFoor to reflect on his time at HU, the path that took him from a Susquehanna Township classroom to the State Capitol, and the message he hopes to leave with the Class of 2026.
A Conversation with Auditor General DeFoor
What drew you to a Master of Science in Project Management at HU, and what were you hoping it would unlock for you professionally?
The foundation of auditing is rooted in project management; in fact, the foundation of any project is rooted in project management. I had the skillset of an auditor and fraud investigator, and I knew the project management skillset would help me with both.
What’s a specific class, professor, or project at HU that has stayed with you — something you still draw on today?
I took something from every class at HU. When I think of HU in general, I think of Albert Sarvis, my academic advisor, who was as patient and thoughtful as an academic can be. I also think of Dr. Amjad Umar, who taught me how to challenge myself and enjoy doing it. He also encouraged me to stick with my master’s thesis topic, “How the PMBOK® Guide Was Used to Build the Great Pyramid of Giza.”
When you look at the path from Susquehanna Township High School to Pennsylvania’s 50th Auditor General, is there a single decision or turning point you’d point to as the one that mattered most?
The decision to take head-on anything or any thought that was holding me back.
You’ve spoken about an obligation to “open doors and elevate others.” How are you living that out, both inside the Auditor General’s office and beyond it?
By going out into the community and going to every corner of the Commonwealth, talking about my own life experience. Also, talking to college and high school students about career opportunities within the department that they otherwise may not have known existed.
Of the initiatives you’ve led, which are you proudest of, and why?
As Dauphin County Controller, the effort to help Dauphin County earn its first of eight consecutive national awards for financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
In my first term as Auditor General, we created our “Be Money Smart” financial literacy initiative. “Be Money Smart” was created to bring awareness to leaders in education, business, finance, and government about the importance of financial education for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Also, as Auditor General, we created career pathways through our “Intern to Hire” initiative, which gives college students the opportunity to intern with us and be put on a full-time career path after graduation.
HU’s graduating class is heavily first-generation and almost entirely STEM-focused. What do you want them to hear most from you on Commencement Day?
Explore! Be innovators and critical thinkers. Make a path to a place you would never have thought you would be. Take what you have learned and break through anything that will hold you back. Because a lot of times, whatever is holding us back is only in our heads. The education you received here will provide the direction and skills you need to be successful.
You’ll be speaking during HU’s 25th anniversary year — a relatively young university whose alumni are still building its reputation. What does it mean to you to come back as an alumnus and address the next generation of HU graduates?
It means that the University is as proud of me as I am of it.
If you could go back and give the version of yourself who walked into his first day of grad school at HU one piece of advice, what would it be?
Be patient. You are about to make a path to a place you would never have thought you would be. And the journey on that path will be truly rewarding.
Harrisburg University’s 19th Commencement Exercises will take place on Thursday, May 14, 2026. The undergraduate ceremony begins at 12:30 PM, while the graduate ceremony begins at 6:30 PM.
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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, Communications Manager for Harrisburg University, at DWilhelm@HarrisburgU.edu or 717.901.5100×1724.
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