Interim President of Messiah University
Profile: Jon C. Stuckey earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in sociology from Case Western Reserve University and his B.A in psychology from Malone University. Prior to being named interim president by Messiah's board of trustees in April 2025, he served as Messiah’s vice president for advancement and a member of President’s Cabinet. In this position, he oversaw the University’s fundraising, alumni and parent relations, and marketing and communications divisions. He has served in various leadership roles at the University for the past 25 years, including: associate vice president of development; executive director and director of development; senior development officer; and director of foundation relations and sponsored programs.
Fundraising success: Under Dr. Stuckey’s leadership, Messiah has raised $128 million in support of academic, administrative and athletic facilities, as well as institutional scholarships and endowments. He served as administrative director of capital campaigns from 2007–2022, all of which exceeded their goals. The most recent, The Campaign for Messiah University, raised $83.4 million—surpassing its $75 million goal and becoming the largest campaign in University history.
Academic grants/faculty experience: Early in his tenure at Messiah, he established the University’s first grants office, significantly expanding funding from private and public sources for faculty research and institutional initiatives. Dr. Stuckey has also served as an adjunct faculty member—teaching courses in the Department of Psychology, Criminal Justice and Sociology and in the Department of Human Development and Family Science.
Before Messiah: Prior to coming to Messiah in 2000, Dr. Stuckey served for 13 years in a variety of teaching, research and administrative leadership roles at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Personal/family: Dr. Stuckey's wife, Shari, has been a high school English teacher for 38 years. For the past 24 years, she has taught at Hershey High School. When they first arrived at Messiah in 2000, she also taught as an adjunct faculty member, including courses in education, communication and writing. The Stuckeys have two grown daughters. Their oldest daughter, Taylor Bradley, is a 2017 Messiah alum, along with her husband Justin. They live outside Leesburg, Va. Their younger daughter, Blake, works as a social worker in New York City.
