06/01/2026
2 new chairs from CECAS departments were recently celebrated as having finished the second ever New Chair Onboarding cohort! Dr. Robert Prucka (left) Department Chair of Automotive Engineering and Dr. Alexander Leonessa (right) Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering, were part of this nine-month, cohort-based program designed to support faculty as they transition into one of the Universityโs most complex leadership roles.
These two now oversee departments with some of the largest numbers of graduate students in the college. And having gone through sessions of mentoring circles, success coaches and interactive discussions led by experienced academic leaders, subject-matter experts and University professionals from across Clemson, Dr. Prucka and Dr. Leonessa are well positioned to lead their graduate programs to new heights!