Joan Phillips Leitzel ’61 AM

HIGHER ED INNOVATOR  After a long distinguished career in publication education, Joan Phillips Leitzel ’61 AM, of Columbus, Ohio, died on Mar. 5. Prior to her tenure at Ohio State University, she spent one year as an instructor of mathematics at Oberlin College in Ohio. She then joined the mathematics faculty at Ohio State University in 1965. She later moved into administration, serving as the associate provost for curriculum and instruction. In 1990, she left Ohio State to serve as division director in the Directorate of Education and Human Resources at the National Science Foundation. Two years later, she was appointed provost at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she served as provost and interim chancellor before becoming the president of the University of New Hampshire in 1996. After retiring from UNH in 2002, she returned to Ohio and remained actively involved with higher education issues and institutions. She served in an advisory role at Ohio State one more year to lead the restructuring of their arts and sciences program. She also remained an active supporter of UNH and, in addition to serving on the UNH Foundation board, she helped to create the Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education, which facilitates programs and partnerships with local K-12 schools and community organizations. She received numerous honors and awards, including the Hanover College Distinguished Alumni Award, the Ohio State Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Ohio State Distinguished Service Award, and in 2001, she received the Charles Holmes Pettee Medal from UNH in recognition of outstanding accomplishment or distinguished service. In recognition of her lasting contributions, the Mathematical Association of America honored her with the Gung and Hu Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics. She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, four granddaughters, a great-granddaughter, a sister, and a brother.