On the Right Path

Millersville president's personal commitment to minority student recruitment, retention brings her to historic post.
By Erv Dyer

At 150 years old, Millersville University is still making history. One of its defining moments came just one year ago when Dr. Francine McNairy was appointed as the first Black and first female president of the Pennsylvania college founded by six politically connected White businessmen and educators in 1855.
"Fran's recognition continues to mature us as an institution," said Dr. Dennis Downey, a Millersville professor and historian. "She now stands as a symbol of the social and cultural change on our campus."
Cradled amid the green vistas of the state's Amish country, Millersville is one of 14 schools within the state system of higher education. It has been rated as one of the top regional schools in the North by U.S. News and World Report.
McNairy, who was named president after serving for 10 years as provost, is now one of three Black presidents and one of three women presidents within the state university system. Across the nation, she is one of about 80 Black females to head a college or university.
The presidential appointment was a significant achievement for McNairy. She began her career in higher education when she read about an opening at Clarion University, a rural campus about 1 1/2 hours from Pittsburgh. Fresh off a two-year stint as a social worker with the Allegheny County Children and Youth office and with a community-action training program, she packed up, moved out and committed herself to giving the assistant professor post a two-year try. She had never heard of Clarion, but she stayed there for 15 years.
While at Clarion, McNairy deeply bonded with the students of color. If they made it to campus, she wanted them to stay — and graduate. McNairy instituted a program that successfully boosted minority retention rates. The program, designed for all students, consisted of a freshman seminar, mentoring, advising and increased social and cultural programs. Black students were grouped in the freshman seminar so that they were not the only students of color in a section. In small-town Clarion, it was important to foster relationships. There weren't many social outlets for Blacks and McNairy took her students under her wing. Whenever she made trips home to Pittsburgh she carried at least one student to or from campus with her. She did this so frequently, she became known as the "McNairy Shuttle."