Jeffery Sharp
Jeffery Sharp, who most recently held the title of associate dean for international programs, retired from Smeal in June after a distinguished and impactful career that spanned 33 years.
“I have had the honor of serving four great deans while working with world-class faculty and staff colleagues,” Sharp says. “But most of all, our students were my inspiration as a teacher, scholar, and administrator.
“I will especially remember those who studied abroad with me as well as two decades of seniors in our integrated Master of Accounting program,” he continues. “Their confidence and maturity gave me pathways to challenge them and accomplish learning often through nontraditional methods. I am proud of the students we send to lead businesses and communities.”
Since Sharp shifted his priorities to International Programs in July 2017, the percentage of Smeal students who studied abroad rose steadily.
Sharp previously held the position of associate dean for undergraduate education, serving five incoming and graduating classes. In both of his associate dean roles, he was responsible for curricular integrity, as well as coordinating with the faculty on curricular innovation and accreditation.
Sharp was a tenured member of the Smeal faculty in business law with expertise in commercial transactions, banking relationships, intellectual property, and real estate ownership rights.
In addition to his contributions as an administrator, Sharp was recognized multiple times for his teaching excellence. In 2013, he was named a Penn State Teaching Fellow, the highest university-wide teaching award.
Sharp was twice honored in 2003 by the Academy of Legal Studies in Business with the Hoeber Memorial Award for Outstanding Research and the Charles M. Hewitt Master Teacher Award. He has also received the Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching, Smeal’s Fred Brand Award for Outstanding Teaching on three separate occasions (1992, 2000, 2006), and was named a Paiste Teaching and Learning Fellow in 2011.
Sharp holds a juris doctorate, a master’s degree in business administration, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Oklahoma.
–Andy Elder
