About the Author

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Graham Spanier served as president of The Pennsylvania State University from 1995 to 2011. His prior positions include chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Oregon State University, and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He previously served Penn State from 1973 to 1982 as a member of the faculty and in three administrative positions in the College of Health and Human Development. He currently works as a consultant in national and international security, intelligence, and risk management. A family sociologist, demographer, and marriage and family therapist, he earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Northwestern University, where he was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, and his bachelor's and master's degrees from Iowa State University. He is the recipient of three honorary doctorates. Spanier is now President Emeritus and University Professor Emeritus. He held academic appointments as professor of human development and family studies, sociology, demography, and family and community medicine.