Skip to main content
Penn State York
Report a Concern Student Life Visit Apply Now
  • Academics
    • Baccalaureate Degrees
    • Associate Degrees
    • Special Programs
    • Academic Support Services
    • Academic Calendar
    • Student Disability Resources
  • Admissions
    • Schedule a Visit to Penn State York
    • Upcoming Events
    • How to Apply
    • The 2+2 Plan
    • After You’ve Been Accepted
    • Request Information
    • Contact Admissions
    • Informaciónes en español
  • Information For
    • Future Students
    • New Students
    • Current Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Parents and Families
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Professional Development
    • Alumni
    • Community
Full site navigation menu

This dialog contains the full navigation menu for this site.

Penn State York
Enter the terms you wish to search for.
Search type:
Report a Concern Student Life Visit Apply Now
  • This is Penn State
  • Academics
    • Majors
    • Academic Calendar
    • Registrar
    • Advising and Career Development
  • Admission
    • Schedule a Visit to Penn State York
    • Upcoming Events
    • How to Apply
    • The 2+2 Plan
    • After You’ve Been Accepted
    • Request Information
    • Contact Admissions
  • Tuition & Financial Aid
  • Student Life
  • Athletics
  • Community Impact

Find Information For:

  • Future Students
  • New Students
  • Current Students
  • Transfer Students
  • Parents and Families
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Professional Development
  • Alumni
  • Community

Helpful Links

  • Graham Fellows
  • Campus Map
  • Faculty & Staff Directory
  • Giving to Penn State
  • Events Calendar
  • Pullo Center
  • University Police & Public Safety
  • Lee R. Glatfelter Library

Connect With Us

  • facebook
  • x (formally twitter)
  • instagram
  • flickr
  • youtube
  1. Home
  2. This is Penn State York

Regional Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells

Marilyn J. Wells, Ph.D.

Marilyn J. Wells, Ph.D. began her tenure as Regional Chancellor for Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Mont Alto, and Penn State York on July 1, 2024.

Credit: Penn State

Marilyn J. Wells, Ph.D. began her tenure as Regional Chancellor for Penn State Brandywine, Penn State Mont Alto, and Penn State York on July 1, 2024. She is a strategic and visionary leader who is bold and centered on people — with a sense of humor.

Prior to her appointment as Regional Chancellor, Dr. Wells served as Chancellor at Penn State Brandywine from 2020 to 2024 where she led the campus to achieve numerous accomplishments in strategic planning; academic and research excellence; faculty and staff development; student engagement and success; community and corporate relations; and philanthropy with impact.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging have been a core value in Dr. Wells’ life and leadership. A top priority in Brandywine’s Strategic Plan, she introduced new Chancellor’s Commissions on Equity by Design, leading to progress and change.

With students, faculty, and staff the heart of any campus, Dr. Wells initiated new ways of connecting and communicating — walking campus, attending events, hosting open-door hours, and her “marilyn’s messages.” She inspired the creation of a new Brandywine Staff Advisory Council and invested in enhancing a world-class and diverse faculty across disciplines, leading to growth in academic and research excellence.

Dr. Wells is active in the community, increasing visibility and impact by expanding strategic partnerships with business and industry, community and civic, and higher education and K-12 partners. She was elected to the Board of Directors for Family Support Line Child Advocacy Center and the Board of Trustees for Tyler Arboretum. At the national level, Dr. Wells serves as a peer evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

Dr. Wells’ distinguished career in higher education has spanned executive leadership and faculty positions in land-grant, regional-comprehensive, and private universities, including a historically Black university, and community colleges. She is unique in that she has also held posts in private-sector businesses in the healthcare and hospitality industries, as well as in state government in public health in Pennsylvania and Alabama.

Throughout her career, Dr. Wells has received more than $2 million in external grants and sponsorships to support research and projects to advance health policy and promotion. Her research and demonstration projects have resulted in numerous professional publications, presentations, and awards. Most recently, Dr. Wells was selected to receive The Educational Policy and Leadership Center’s 2024 Alumni Award for outstanding achievements and service to education.

In her personal life, Dr. Wells’ pride and joy are her young adult son and daughter, Thomas and Michelle, and her partner, Roy. She enjoys museums, the theatre, and creative pursuits in her free time. One fun fact: she once went skydiving with the US Army’s Golden Knights.

Dr. Wells earned her B.S. in Home Economics Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, her Master of Public Health and a M.S. in Health Education from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, and her Ph.D. in Health Education with a cognate in Statistics from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Read Dr. Wells' full bio

This is Penn State York

  • Regional Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells
  • Quick Facts
  • Campus Leadership
  • Advisory Board
  • Vision, Mission, and Diversity Statements
  • Campus History
    • Historical Timeline
    • Degree History
    • CEO/Chancellor History
    • Excellence in Advising Award History
    • Excellence in Teaching Award History

FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions and changes on campus as a result of the global coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus Information
Visit Us
Schedule a Visit
Locations of Penn State’s campuses throughout Pennsylvania with Penn State York highlighted

Penn State York

Situated on 51 beautiful hillside acres overlooking the historic city of York in south-central Pennsylvania, Penn State York offers a small, engaging college environment with all the resources of a major research university.
  • facebook
  • x (formally twitter)
  • instagram
  • flickr
  • youtube
Student Life Visit Apply Now
  • This is Penn State York
    • Visit Us
    • Quick Facts
    • Campus Leadership
  • Academics
    • Baccalaureate Degrees
    • Associate Degrees
    • Graduate Programs
    • Support Services
    • Lee R. Glatfelter Library
  • Special Programs
    • Center for Inclusive Leadership
    • Graham Fellows Program
    • Honors Program
    • Nittany Scholars Program
    • Undergraduate Research
  • Admission
    • Schedule a Visit
    • How to Apply
    • Transfer Students
    • Contact Admissions
  • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Bursar’s Office
  • Student Life
    • Activities
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Student Services
    • Police & Public Safety
    • Athletics
  • Community Impact
    • York LaunchBox
    • OLLI at Penn State York
    • The Pullo Center
    • Youth Programs
    • Women’s Philanthropic Network
  • Campus Directory
    • Faculty
    • Staff
Penn State University
1031 Edgecomb Avenue, York, Pennsylvania 17403-3326 717-771-4000

Footer Legal Menu

  • Privacy
  • Non-discrimination
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • The Pennsylvania State University © 2025
  • We Are Penn State