SUNY Oswego welcomes Kate Pechenkina as new provost and vice president of academic affairs

Accomplished educational leader Kate Pechenkina was recently named SUNY Oswego’s next provost and vice president for academic affairs, providing leadership across academic programs, student success initiatives, strategic planning, continued academic excellence and more.

“Following a national search that drew an exceptionally strong pool of candidates, Dr. Pechenkina emerged as a highly accomplished academic leader whose experience, vision and commitment to student success closely align with SUNY Oswego’s mission and aspirations,” SUNY Oswego President Peter O. Nwosu said in announcing the appointment. 

Pechenkina, who will begin this position as SUNY Oswego’s chief academic officer on July 15, comes from Queens College of the City University of New York, where she has served as dean of faculty for the School of Social Sciences and as a professor of anthropology. She also served as founding and acting dean of the Queens College School of Business, helping guide its creation, strategic planning, curriculum development and advancement.

“SUNY Oswego has a distinctive identity that sets it apart from many other universities,” Pechenkina said. “Each of its four colleges offers a unique set of programs that are academically rigorous and directly tied to the needs of Central New York: its economy, its environment, its communities.”

And Pechenkina, President Nwosu said, is well-prepared to continue Oswego’s commitment to excellence.

Remarkable leadership

“Throughout her career, Dr. Pechenkina has demonstrated a remarkable ability to lead complex academic organizations while fostering collaboration, innovation and accountability,” President Nwosu said. “At Queens College, she has overseen multiple academic departments and interdisciplinary programs, managed substantial budgets, supported faculty recruitment and development, strengthened career-readiness initiatives, led curricular modernization, expanded academic offerings and advanced student success through innovative partnerships and programs.”

President Nwosu also praised Pechenkina as “an accomplished scholar whose interdisciplinary research integrates perspectives from anthropology, biology, chemistry, and the social sciences to advance understanding of human health and societal change.”

Pechenkina earned her doctorate in anthropology from the University of Missouri–Columbia and her bachelor of science in biology from Russia’s Moscow State University.

Her academic career and increasing leadership roles reflect “a deep appreciation for the transformative power of higher education and the critical role public universities play in expanding opportunity, strengthening communities and preparing students to address complex challenges,” President Nwosu added. 

With the university’s Vision 4040 plan to double the number of degrees and credentials SUNY Oswego awards by 2040 to meet the needs of the Central New York region remaining an institutional focus moving forward, Pechenkina is ready to play a major role in its success.

“The ambition of Vision 4040, at a moment when so many institutions are struggling to recruit and retain students, is striking; carrying that momentum forward will take academic innovation and bold leadership,” Pechenkina said. “That challenge is what inspires me most about this role.”

“As we continue to advance Vision 4040, strengthen enrollment, enhance student success, expand research and scholarship, support faculty excellence and deepen community partnerships, I am confident that Dr. Pechenkina’s leadership will position SUNY Oswego for continued growth and impact,” President Nwosu said.

About SUNY Oswego

SUNY Oswego is a dynamic public university on the shores of Lake Ontario, committed to providing a transformative, affordable education. Guided by Vision 4040, the university is focused on expanding access, advancing innovation and preparing students for success in a rapidly changing world.

With more than 110 undergraduate and graduate programs and growing strength in STEAM, SUNY Oswego combines rigorous academics with hands-on learning to prepare students to lead, contribute and make an impact. For more information, visit oswego.edu.