David Morgan has spent nearly five decades immersed in healthcare, making quick decisions, managing evolving challenges, and keeping a steady hand on the wheel. Now, the Penn State alumnus is hoping to bring that same steady leadership and knowledge to the Board of Trustees.

Hailing from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Morgan had his eye on pre-med for as long as he can remember. Although he struggled in high school, once he got to Penn State in 1983, he knew it was time to step up.

While studying general arts and sciences, Morgan dove headfirst into campus life. He served as a UPUA senator, a peer counselor in the College of the Liberal Arts, and was a brother of Sigma Pi fraternity — early signs of his desire to serve and lead.

During his time at Penn State, Morgan utilized many of the on-campus research resources provided to him, and he wants those resources to continue to expand. He also emphasizes the importance of holistic student support, both academic and personal.

“We’ve got to do everything we can to set students up with academic support as needed,” Morgan shared. “I know I used some academic support when I was there, and it was helpful, but I’m sure it’s better, and I’d like to see that continue… Physical health support, access to on-campus jobs, all those things have to be points of emphasis. Keeping things affordable but making sure at the same time that we’re keeping faculty happy, keeping them well paid, and keeping the research model following as well as it possibly can.”

After graduating in 1987, Morgan continued his education at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry before returning home to Hershey to practice alongside his father. Today, he owns and operates The Dental Associates of Hershey, a small business where he still sees patients, many of whom come from Penn State Health’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Morgan believes that his experience working within health in such close proximity to Penn State Health and Hershey Medical has opened many doors for him in terms of staying connected with the university’s conditions and research.

“I’ve seen it through, I’ve seen the changes. I want to come in as a positive steward for the university,” Morgan said. “You need people with different perspectives and different thinking. It’s critical to have that opinion representative, having an ear to the pulse of what’s happening at Penn State Health and the College of Medicine, since that’s what 40% of the budget goes to.”

Morgan’s ties to Penn State run deep. His wife is an alumna, and both of his daughters graduated from the Schreyer Honors College. As a family and a professional, he’s stayed connected to the Penn State community for decades — and now he’s ready to give back in a more prominent way.

Through his line of work as a healthcare provider, Morgan believes that now more than ever, the university must prioritize healthcare and trade education to meet the demands of a shifting world.

“In the changing political environment we’re in, it seems we’re going to need more doctors, more nurses, more trade workers, more plumbers,” he said. “Penn State has to counter to be the premier higher ed health center in our region, and that has to be a priority in improving the school.”

Morgan says his dual experience in healthcare and small business gives him a unique lens through which to approach university governance.

“I think coming from healthcare, you have a little bit different perspective in terms of decision making and whatnot. I’m also a small business owner,” Morgan said. “Running a small business every day, you’ve got evolving challenges and things that happen on a day-to-day basis, and you’ve got to keep the boat afloat, so to speak.”

For Morgan, service to Penn State is a full-circle moment — one that combines a lifetime of personal growth and professional leadership. Morgan wants to be a force for unity during a pivotal time for the university.

“I want to come in as a person who’s going to be a unifier and not a disrupter,” Morgan said. “My goal is to kind of hit the ground running and learn as much as I can, to become the best board member that I possibly can… I think those two things, healthcare, small business owner, being uniquely positioned in Hershey, so a little bit more in tune with what’s going on at the College of Medicine and Penn State Health. Those are sort of what makes me a little bit different from the other candidates.”

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Editor’s note: Morgan’s interview is one of a multi-part series aiming to feature alumni running for open seats on the Board of Trustees. Onward State does not, and will not, endorse any candidate(s) in this election. Check out our site to read more about the remaining candidates vying for spots on the board throughout this year’s election cycle.