HARRISBURG, PA — Dr. David Clickner has joined Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) as chief strategy officer, a newly created position that will guide the University’s next strategic plan and its reaffirmation of accreditation. He began his new role Sept. 9.
At HU, Clickner leads the development and implementation of the University’s next strategic plan and oversees HU’s preparation for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. He is also responsible for ensuring that institutional priorities are aligned and measurable, and for advancing assessment, performance measurement, and data-informed decision-making across the University.
Clickner joins HU from SUNY Schenectady County Community College in Schenectady, NY, where he served as vice president for strategic initiatives and planning. During his time there, he also served as interim vice president for academic affairs and as assistant vice president for academic affairs. Earlier, he spent a decade at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY, where he directed the college’s learning centers.
At SUNY Schenectady, Clickner helped lead the college’s adoption of a Guided Pathways model and a redesign of academic advising that earned a national Holistic Advising Award from the Advising Success Network. He helped the college earn designation as an Achieving the Dream Leader College in 2024 and helped secure more than $20 million in external grant funding. He also brings deep accreditation experience, having served the Middle States Commission on Higher Education as a peer evaluator, site visit team vice chair, and accreditation liaison officer.
“As Harrisburg University continues to build for the future, we need a plan the whole University can see itself in, and the discipline to measure our progress against it,” said HU President Dr. Christopher M. Reber. “David brings exactly that. He has led strategic planning, student success, and accreditation work, and he will make sure our institutional priorities are aligned and measurable.”
“HU turns 25 this December,” Reber added. “David’s work will help us build organizational excellence from within while we keep expanding our partnerships, reputation, and opportunities for growth. That is how we set the course for our next 25 years.”
Clickner received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English and secondary education from Siena College in Loudonville, NY, and a master’s degree and a doctorate in reading from the University at Albany.
About Harrisburg University
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is an independent, nonprofit university in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, offering degrees in advanced manufacturing, analytics, biotechnology, cybersecurity, nursing, and other STEM 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 research with practical application. Learn more at HarrisburgU.edu or stay in the know by following HU on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
Media Contact
Have questions about this story? Want to line up an interview? Contact Dan Wilhelm, director of communications, at DWilhelm@HarrisburgU.edu.
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