LINCOLN – Kristen Majocha, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, has been selected to participate in Leadership Nebraska Class XV.
Majocha came to UNK in July 2022 after serving as dean of the College of Social Sciences and Human Services and College of Education and Liberal Arts at California University of Pennsylvania, which became Pennsylvania Western University during her tenure.
Majocha graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication from Slippery Rock University in 2002 and earned a Master of Arts in communication with focuses in organizational communication and ethics at Duquesne University in 2004. She went on to earn her doctorate in rhetoric at Duquesne University.
She taught courses in communication and writing for two years at Duquesne University; 12 years at the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned tenure and promotion to associate professor; four years at California University of Pennsylvania, where she earned the rank of professor; and one year at Salem University.
At Pittsburgh, she served as co-chair of the communication department, president of the faculty senate, director of international programming and services, and assistant to the vice president of academic affairs.
She also served as president of the Religious Communication Association and Pennsylvania Communication Association and editor of Qualitative Research Reports in Communication and the Iowa Journal of Communication.
A Nebraska Chamber Foundation program, Leadership Nebraska was founded in 2006 to identify current and emerging leaders across the state, enhance their leadership skills and deepen their knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing Nebraska. Participants are from different regions of the state and possess varied backgrounds and diverse talents. All candidates have demonstrated an abiding interest in Nebraska and its future.
Leadership Nebraska is a nine-month program that covers a range of key Nebraska issues, including economic development, workforce and education, agriculture and environment, health care, government and policy development.
“We are excited and pleased to welcome this incredibly talented group to our statewide leadership program,” said Bryan Slone, Nebraska Chamber president. “If we’re going to truly compete and solve our workforce challenges by growing communities that excel at supporting young families, talent, innovation and community development over the next decade, the next generation of strong and informed leaders like this group will be necessary to achieve those goals.”
