The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education recently unanimously selected Philip Cavalier, Ph.D., to be the next president of Kutztown University following a nationwide search.

The appointment takes effect July 6.

Cavalier will succeed Kenneth S. Hawkinson, Ph.D., who has served as president since 2015.

Hawkinson announced last year his intention to retire this summer.

Cavalier is the provost and senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Tennessee at Martin, a regional public university with more than 7,000 students in northwest Tennessee.

He served as interim chancellor for five months in 2023.

During his seven years at the university, he led the creation of UTM’s 2025-2030 strategic plan and two strategic enrollment plans and developed or enhanced eight academic programs aligned with student interests and local workforce needs.

He also played a key role in boosting student retention and graduation rates, managed the university’s largest budget and forged new partnerships with community colleges and regional employers, including a major collaboration with Ford Motor Co.

“Dr. Cavalier brings an exceptional breadth of experience as both an educator and a university leader,” Board Chair Cynthia Shapira said.

“Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to collaboration with students, faculty and staff, and he brings a strong background in strategic planning. Dr. Cavalier is passionate about fostering campus communities where all students, especially first-generation students, can thrive both in and out of the classroom. He will be an outstanding president for Kutztown University and we are proud to welcome him to the State System.”

Shapira also thanked the Kutztown University Council of Trustees, the presidential search committee and the university community for their participation in the comprehensive nationwide search for a new president.

Before joining UTM, Cavalier held several faculty and senior leadership roles in higher education, including provost at Lyon College, provost and dean of the college at Eureka College and dean of general education at Catawba College. He was a Fulbright Scholar at Kyiv International University and Kyiv Slavonic University in Ukraine and a tenured faculty member in English at Catawba College.

“Dr. Cavalier believes a quality higher education can change lives and should be affordable to every student who wants it, which aligns with PASSHE’s mission,” Chancellor Christopher Fiorentino, Ph.D. said. “Kutztown is a dynamic institution, and he is the perfect person to lead the university. We are proud to welcome him to Kutztown and the State System.”

Cavalier holds a doctorate in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a master’s degree in English from Northeastern University, Boston, Mass. and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Swarthmore College, Swarthmore.

“On behalf of the Kutztown University Council of Trustees, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Philip Cavalier as the 13th president of this great institution,” Dennis Giorno, chair said. “Dr. Cavalier was selected after a six-month comprehensive nationwide search. He brings a wealth of experience to our campus, including 27 years in higher education as a professor, dean and provost. This most recently includes seven years at UT Martin, where he served as provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and managed the institution as interim chancellor. We are confident he will further KU’s mission and 159-year tradition of providing affordable high-quality undergraduate, graduate and lifelong learning opportunities to the students of our region and beyond.”

“I am thrilled to be selected to serve as the next president of Kutztown University and join a remarkable community of engaged scholars and professionals committed to transforming students’ lives,” Cavalier said. “During his 10 years of exemplary leadership, President Hawkinson has built a strong foundation for Kutztown. I look forward to collaborating with all the campus and external stakeholders to enhance Kutztown’s reputation as a premier regional university in the northeast.”