Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones will step down from his position on August 15, the university announced Wednesday. Justin Schwartz, the Harold and Inge Marcus Dean in the College of Engineering, will serve as the interim executive vice president and provost following a transitional period in mid-July.

Jones will transition into a role as a special assistant to President Neeli Bendapudi through the end of 2022, and he’ll also return to the College of Engineering as a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

“I have been inspired every day by Penn State’s talented faculty, staff and students,” Jones said. “I am so proud of everyone who shows such commitment to this wonderful University. I’ve always said that the best thing about Penn State is our amazing and resilient people, and, for me, too, you have been the highlight of the past nine years. As I transition into a new role at the University, I will always value this community and the impact we’ve made.”

Jones was named Penn State’s executive vice president and provost back in 2013 after coming over from Johns Hopkins University, where he served as the Benjamin T. Rome Dean of the Whiting School of Engineering for nine years. Among his many efforts while at Penn State, Jones chaired the council that developed the strategic plan, “Our Commitment to Impact,” which has helped the university with innovation and advancement since 2016.

Additionally, Jones helped diversify Penn State’s leaders by recruiting several accomplished deans and executives to the university. He worked on recruiting diverse faculty members, as well as the retention of staff members.

“Provost Jones has had a tremendous impact on the academic footprint of this University that will be felt for many years to come,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said. “He has always been a champion for those around him and an innovative leader in critical areas, from strategic planning, to community building, to streamlining the ways we work together as a modern, 21st-century university to fulfill our mission. I am very pleased he will remain on as a special assistant in my office as his knowledge and experience are invaluable.”

Penn State plans to conduct a national search for Jones’ successor this fall with the hopes of finding his replacement during the spring 2023 semester.