Hail to the Chief D
r. Greg Weisenstein is genial, genuine and smiles routinely. If he has to explain something in order for you to fully understand his position, he does so in measured sentences, weighing the individual value of each word. He deftly navigates questions to circumvent any apparent negativity. He’s excellent at speaking politically, yet his answers always satisfy. It is a specific skillset he developed outside of academia – after all, he hasn’t always been the President of West Chester University. He has found himself on advisory committees under Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and discussed national education policy with President George W. Bush. He has even represented the United States in direct talks with the former General Secretary of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev. A picture of the Soviet Union’s last leader and a younger, dark-haired Dr. Weisenstein sits on the windowsill of his office. In his time at West Chester University he has been an advocate for environmental policy, appointing the school’s first sustainability coordinator and guiding the campus to smarter energy consumption through a transition to geothermal power. His work with incorporating veteran’s programs at the university has earned him the prestigious General William E. DePuy Award, the Cadet Command’s highest honor. Considering all he has accomplished, it is no surprise that Dr. Weisenstein is a busy man, so we were grateful that he made the time to sit down with us and discuss the role of the university within this community.
Photo Adam Jones Interview Dan Mathers
september 2012 | thewcpress.com
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