The University announced earlier today that Eric Furda, the vice president for alumni relations at Columbia University, will take over as the new dean of admissions at Penn on July 1, 2008.
Furda served as the executive director of undergraduate admissions at Columbia from 1995 to 2004. Prior to working at Columbia, he served as a regional director of admissions at Penn.
"He is our ideal candidate and this is his dream job," University President Amy Gutmann said.
A 1987 Penn graduate, Furda said he is excited to be back after almost 20 years away from his alma mater.
"This is the right time for me to come back," he said. "This is the only job I would have considered in the country."
During his time as the admissions director at Columbia, applications to Columbia College and Engineering school increased by more than 70 percent and 67 percent, respectively.
