Vizag-origin professor Neeli Bendapudi appointed as President of Pennsylvania State University, USA

Bringing laurels to the city, Neeli Bendapudi, who was born in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, was appointed as the President of the Pennsylvania State University, in the United States of America (USA). She will be both the first woman, and person of colour, to hold the university’s highest office.

Ms. Bendapudi, who is poised to succeed Eric Barron once he retires in June 2022, will serve as the 19th president in Pennsylvania State University’s history. With this Pennsylvania State University’s long search for the university’s next president has come to an end. Reportedly, the Board of Trustees had formed an 18-member task force to identify potential candidates, all while using more than 14,000 survey responses from community members as inputs. 

About Neeli Bendapudi

Ms. Bendapudi completed her BA & MBA from Andhra University, Vizag. Post which, she left to the United States in 1986 for her higher studies. 

In the US, this Vizag-origin professor attended graduate school at Kansas, where she completed her Ph.D. in Marketing. In 2011, in Lawrence, she served as the university’s School of Business dean and also has teaching experience at Texas A&M and Ohio State University. Neeli also served as Chief Customer Officer of the Huntington National Bank and served on a number of major corporate boards.

Neeli Bendapudi joined Louisville in 2018 after previously serving as Provost, and Executive Vice Chancellor, at Kansas University. She is currently serving as the President, and Professor of Marketing, at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, USA.

According to her Louisville biography, Bendapudi specializes in studying consumer behaviour and services. Her research has previously appeared in academic journals, the Harvard Business Review, and mainstream news outlets like The New York Times and CNBC.

Additionally, this Vizag-origin Professor Neeli Bendapudi, sits on the Board of Directors for the Lancaster Colony Corporation. She’s a former Leadership Foundation Fellow of the International Women’s Forum.