Expert Panelist

Dr. James H. Ryan
Vice President for Outreach and Cooperative Extension
Penn State

Dr. James H. Ryan serves as Penn State's first Vice President for Outreach and Cooperative Extension. In this position, he oversees the coordination of the University's external outreach initiatives and is responsible for Continuing Education, Distance Education, Public Broadcasting, and Cooperative Extension. Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension is the largest unified outreach organization in American higher education, serving more than 5 million participants, viewers, and listeners, from all 50 states and 80 countries annually. With more than 800 employees, this organization supports all academic colleges, campuses, centers, and cooperative extension offices. Each year more than 2,000 programs and services are offered in collaboration with 1,500 faculty members through Penn State's Outreach delivery units.