Hall of Fame
Dr. George F. “Jody” Harpster served Shippensburg University in a variety of capacities for nearly 25 years, including three terms as president. He has a unique perspective on the SU campus, having begun his professional preparation at Shippensburg as a graduate hall director from 1972-74 while studying for his master’s degree. He rejoined the university in 1995 as vice president for student affairs after serving in various student affairs posts at both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for over 20 years.
After 10 years as vice president of student affairs, Harpster was named interim president in 2005. Two years later, he was named executive vice president and chief of staff, then executive vice president for external affairs and university relations, before being tapped to serve as interim president for a second time in 2013. Following a national search, he was selected and served as SU’s 16th president from January 2015 through January 2017.
As vice president of student affairs, Dr. Harpster supervised the athletic department staff and worked to enhance opportunities for the success of SU teams, coaches and, especially student-athletes, both athletically and academically. He developed new policies and practices for the betterment of the SU Athletics Department, among them the development of the Raider Club through the consolidation of individual team booster clubs into one coordinating unit, the enhancement of athletic facilities and equipment, the proliferation of computers and other technology, the establishment of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), increases in scholarships, the establishment of the department’s first athletic academic advisor position, and additional coaching positions. Overall, Shippensburg won five of its conference-record eight Dixon Trophies, awarded to the PSAC’s top overall athletic program, during his tenure.
Shippensburg was recognized as one of the first universities in this region of the country to institute the practice of providing uniform travel arrangements via chartered professional bus transportation for all athletic teams, a practice which greatly enhanced the safety and security for the athletes and coaches as they traveled to and from competitions. Travel responsibilities had previously been upon the school’s coaches to either arrange for services or to transport the teams themselves. All other PSAC schools eventually adopted this practice.
Harpster led the effort to consolidate the support for all athletic teams through the establishment of the Raider Club as an avenue for giving opportunities specific to athletics. Working closely with Jane Goss, Paul Kaiser, Jim Pribula, the SU Foundation and others, Harpster helped establish a uniform, visible, and coordinated platform for the enhanced solicitation and distribution of contributions and other support for the athletic department and teams.
Harpster hired Roberta Page as Ship’s first female director of athletics and supported athletics in an era that saw women’s teams at Shippensburg attain greater prominence. SU women’s basketball won six consecutive conference championships, played in the DII national title game, and established itself as a national powerhouse, while SU softball posted Top 5 national finishes in 2003 and 2004.
In his most recent term as president, Harpster was actively engaged in the development and addition of new academic programs in high-demand fields, including the first electrical engineering degree in the State System and the university’s first two doctoral programs. He also played a direct role in the development of significant partnerships with the regional business community as well as local, state and federal officials to promote and enhance Shippensburg University and its students.
Harpster and his wife Leslie are the proud parents of two adult children, Drew and Emily, and three grandchildren.
