Fotis Fan Club: Alum on a Mission

Penn State didn’t just hire a new provost. We got one of our own back — and he’s not here to dust off the old playbook. Fotis Sotiropoulos, Class of “Life-Changing Experience,” has lived the Penn State story: first-generation student from Athens, Greece → world-class academic leader → now back to transform the product we’re putting into the world.

And on Day One, he made it clear — he’s reading the tea leaves, and he’s moving fast.

1. The Market Has Changed — So Must We
   “We are navigating a time of profound transformation… evolving student expectations, AI, belonging and well-being. Penn State’s scale, excellence, and land-grant mission uniquely position us not only to respond, but to lead.”
Translation: Nostalgia won’t sell. Relevance will.
   
2. The Product = Future-Ready Graduates
   • Every major produces critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and civic leaders.
   • Hands-on learning, research, internships → baked into the core experience.
   • AI literacy for all — because future employers will expect it, not teach it.
   
3. Excellence + Market Relevance
   If the degree isn’t aligned with the skills the market wants, it’s a nice keepsake — not a career engine. Fotis wants high-quality, high-demand programs that keep Penn State competitive everywhere.
   
4. Culture Sells, Too
   A diploma matters. But so does the network, the sense of belonging, the brand people wear for life. Fotis sees culture as part of the product — the thing that turns students into lifelong Penn Staters.
   
5. Alum Energy = Insider Perspective
   Fotis has been the customer. He knows the value of what Penn State can deliver — and the danger of letting that value get stale. This is leadership with lived experience.

Bottom Line from the Fotis Fan Club:


He’s not here to protect the past. He’s here to make sure Penn State sells the most relevant, in-demand product in higher education — and that every graduate leaves with skills that can’t be automated.

Read full story here.