DelVal Dean Tapped for Wolf Cabinet Post

Delaware Valley College’s dean of agriculture and environmental sciences has been tapped to serve in the Wolf Administration.

Russell Redding will leave his position at the Doylestown college to become Pennsylvania’s next secretary of agriculture on Jan. 20.

“Russell’s impact on DelVal’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences has been transformational,” said Dr. Bashar Hanna, vice president for academic affairs. “His commitment to our students and their educational goals was extraordinary.”

Redding was appointed as DelVal’s dean of agriculture and environmental sciences in February 2011. Before that, he served as Pennsylvania secretary of agriculture under the Rendell Administration.

“There is tremendous potential and capacity for agriculture, food and environmental sciences at DelVal,” Redding said. “In the last several years, I have seen the power of nearly 120 years of history, coupled with strategic thinking and interdisciplinary teaching and learning to change lives.”

In addition to serving as dean, Redding taught classes in the graduate policy studies program and worked with students to start Hope of the Harvest, a community partnership, which uses college land to grow food to fight hunger in the local communities, the college said in an announcement.

“Russell made a tremendous impact on our programs and our students in our School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences during his time at DelVal,” said College President Dr. Joseph Brosnan. “He served our community with passion and commitment. I am grateful for all he has done to help us move DelVal forward and I am proud of the fact that Governor-elect Wolf has selected Russell to serve the Commonwealth.”

Dr. Chris Tipping, associate professor of biology and chair of the Department of Plant Science, will serve as acting dean, the college said in a statement.