Campus News

Dr. Neff, Garrett College's 10th president, dies

Design, funding of CARC were among presidential accomplishments

Dr. Jeanne H. Neff, Garrett College's 10th president, passed away last Thursday.

"It's really hard to believe Dr. Neff was president for just less than 14 months, given how much she accomplished during that time period," said Dr. Richard Midcap, Garrett College's current president. "The College and the county were fortunate to have a leader of her caliber able and willing to serve during such a critical time in the College's history."

Dr. Neff – who had retired the previous year as president of The Sage (NY) Colleges – served as GC's president from May 2009 to June 2010. During her tenure, she oversaw the redesign of the proposed Community Aquatic & Recreation Complex (CARC) and successfully advocated for project funding.

"She was a great person and a great president for the College," said former State Senator George C. Edwards, who now serves on the Garrett College Board of Trustees. "She always had the students' best interests as her top priority."

Edwards, in his senatorial role, worked closely with Dr. Neff on acquiring the funding that made the CARC a reality.

"She was very easy to work with on the CARC project," said Edwards. "She always wanted to do the best she could for the College and the county."

Dr. Neff also led the way in development of a College strategic plan and oversaw a successful Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) site visit. She also provided leadership in the development of a new shared governance model.

"She got things done, but she was inclusive and it never felt rushed," said Julie Yoder, the College's dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development. "I learned so much from her during that time."

"I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Neff when I was very new to the Board," said Jason Rush, chair of the Garrett College Board of Trustees. "She stepped into the president's role during a difficult period and managed the situation very well. Her leadership during that period was invaluable, and she remained a friend and supporter of Garrett College in the years that followed."

Dr. Neff won the President's Award from the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce and the Garrett College Board of Trustees Award for Outstanding Contributions, both in 2010.

"Dr. Neff provided the professionalism and knowledge needed to maintain and build the College's viability," said Duane Yoder, the other current trustee who was on the Garrett College Board of Trustees when Dr. Neff was hired. "I thought it almost providential that we found a person with her experience and skills residing in the County who was willing to step in and offer the necessary leadership at a very challenging point in time."

Dr. Neff was succeeded as president on July 1, 2010 by Dr. Richard MacLennan, but Dr. MacLennan wouldn't let her slip back into retirement. Instead, he pressed her into service as chair of a reconstituted Garrett College Foundation (GCF) Board of Directors, which set the stage for hiring Cherie Krug as the Foundation's first full-time executive director.

That, in turn, set up the Foundation to successfully execute multi-million-dollar capital campaigns for the Offutt STEM Center and the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College.

"That was all Jeanne," Dr. MacLennan said of the work it took to reconstitute the Board in order to expand the Foundation's fundraising capacity.

Dr. MacLennan said Dr. Neff – who served five years as chair of the GCF Board of Directors – also supported him as a valuable sounding board.

"I have a little leather sign in my office that says, 'No whining,'" said Dr. MacLennan, who is currently chancellor of the Ventura County (CA) Community College District. "When I came to Garrett, Jeanne left me that with a really nice note. She was generous with wanting me to be successful and she was always there as a colleague. It's a rare gift to have access to someone who has been in that [presidential] chair."

Carissa Rodeheaver – who currently chairs the Garrett College Foundation Board of Directors and was on the Board during Dr. Neff's tenure as chair – said Dr. Neff was a visionary leader.

"Her leadership, devotion to Garrett College and her keen vision for the future positioned both the College and Foundation for success," said Rodeheaver. "She was a treasured member of our community, and she will be missed." Dr. Neff was president of The Sage Colleges from 1995 to 2008. Prior to that, she was academic vice president at her alma mater, Wheeling (WV) Jesuit University, and served as provost at Susquehanna (PA) University.

Dr. Neff earned a bachelor's degree from Wheeling Jesuit University, a master's degree from Rice (TX) University, and a doctorate in English from Carnegie Mellon (PA) University. She taught at both Carlow (PA) University and Wheeling Jesuit University.

Dr. Neff is survived by her husband of 46 years, Edward Williams Stephens Neff II; son, Brian Kammer; stepdaughter, Carrie Mitchell; and stepson, Edward W.S. Neff III.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in her memory may be made to the Jeanne H. Neff Scholarship Fund, c/o Garrett College Foundation, 687 Mosser Road, McHenry, MD 21541, or to the Edward W.S. and Jeanne H. Neff Endowment Fund, supporting operations of the Memory Center of Willow Valley (foundation.willowvalleycommunities.org).