Francie (Erickson) Spigelmyer
“Penn State has always been an enormous part of my identity, not only as an educator, but also as ’83 B.S. Secondary Education a person. Moving many Vice President for Academic Affairs times over the past three Butler County Community College decades, one constant After graduating from Penn State, Francie taught and served as chair of the Social Studies Department at her alma mater, DuBois Central Catholic High in my life has been my School. She moved on to Washington, D.C., where she worked for the Penn State experience. National Young Leaders Conference as conference coordinator and faculty advisor. Later she returned to the classroom, teaching at Mount Mercy No matter where life’s Academy—an all-girls high school in the City of Buffalo. She completed her journey has taken me, I master’s degree at Buffalo State College. Francie returned to Pennsylvania and have found a Penn State accepted an adjunct faculty position at Westmoreland County Community College, which included a teaching assignment at the Greensburg Correctional connection. Although I Institution. Then came a move to West Virginia and, two children later, Francie moved back to Pennsylvania to work as an adjunct faculty member left Penn State in 1983, at Butler County Community College (BC3). She coordinated BC3’s very my passion for education, successful College Within the High School program. She earned a fulltime tenured position in 2003. Francie and her colleagues created a Praxis which was fostered by a Preparation Program that assists preservice teachers across the country. phenomenal faculty, has She earned her Ph.D. degree in instructional management and leadership at Robert Morris University. never left me.” 26
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