Thomas C. Segar
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas C. Segar has been selected by City & State Pennsylvania as a 2026 Black Trailblazer.
Segar was recognized in the publication on February 23 and honored at a networking reception in Philadelphia on February 25, which featured remarks by Sierra Dunn, executive director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs, and Chad Dion Lassiter, executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Teresa Lundy, principal and founder of TML Communications, was the master of ceremonies for the event.
“Shattering glass ceilings, setting records, and making history in a variety of sectors, this year’s City & State Black Trailblazers are an inspiring group of Pennsylvanians,” award organizers said. “Together, they’re advancing health equity, shaping inclusive policy, growing the Commonwealth’s local economies, and building its infrastructure—both literally and through grassroots community initiatives—from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.”
“Dr. Segar definitely deserves to be recognized with this impressive group of leaders,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said. “His work results in positive change in the lives of our students and our university community. He walks the talk of putting students first in everything he does and is a mentor and inspiration to students, to his team, and to his colleagues. Tom is also well respected as a leader and role model by higher education colleagues across America.
“We are very proud of his honor, and we appreciate and value everything he does for our students and for IUP, as well as the impact he continues to make to advance excellence in higher education,” President Driscoll said.
Segar joined honorees throughout the state, including from Accenture, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, the City of Philadelphia, Moravia Health, Humana, the US House of Representatives, University of Pennsylvania-Perelman School of Medicine, WellSpan Health, Philadelphia Bar Association, Highmark Blue Shield, Department of General Services, UPMC, Philadelphia 76ers, and World Trade Center Greater Philadelphia.
He is the only honoree from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and one of only five professionals recognized as a 2026 Black Trailblazer who are from higher education institutions.
“Being recognized among such outstanding Pennsylvanians is deeply meaningful,” Segar said. “I am grateful to the IUP students and colleagues who make this work so fulfilling. Together, we are committed to strengthening student learning, leadership, success, and belonging, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together.”
Segar began his work at IUP in June 2019. He is a member of the President’s executive team, responsible for leading undergraduate and graduate admissions, athletics, financial aid, housing and dining, marketing and communications, and student life and support, focusing his team on initiatives to increase student engagement and leadership.
In 2021, he developed and launched IUP’s Crimson Scholars Circle, a specialized cohort program aimed at providing students with comprehensive financial, social, and academic support to thrive at IUP.
He is a hands-on mentor to many individual students and groups, including serving as advisor to IUP’s Student Government Association and Graduate Student Assembly, and he developed the Folger Student Center for students and student organizations to increase opportunities for building community. He has supported the Guides mentoring program, the annual Lead@IUP Student Leadership Summit, and increased programming within Student Life and Student Inclusion.
Cochair of the university’s Tuition Model and Pricing Workgroup, he has developed many scholarships and cost-savings initiatives for students, including for housing and dining, resulting in historic high meal plan participation rates and record-breaking percentages of students continuing in on-campus housing after year one.
He is one of 26 inaugural Aspen Index Senior Impact Fellows, experienced leaders in higher education advancing the future of youth leadership development. As a doctoral fellow at the University of Maryland, College Park, Segar was part of the first research team to work on the multi-institutional study of leadership, which informs the Aspen Index.
For three decades, he served as a consultant assisting universities, high schools, and organizations to implement programs on diversity, leadership, community building, and social justice, along with program reviews and training.
He has delivered more than 50 national and regional refereed presentations and has been an invited keynote presenter or invited presenter to more than 70 conferences and higher education institutions throughout the United States. He copresented “IUP’s Crimson Scholars Circle: A Student Affairs/Faculty Partnership for Continued Improvement” at the 2025 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators conference and was an invited presenter for a national conference sponsored by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Criminal Justice Collective Chairs’ Workshop, funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
In August 2025, Segar was an invited panelist for a state-wide Higher Education Summit, “Shaping the Future of Education in Pennsylvania,” joining Philadelphia Chief Education Officer Debora Carrera; Pennsylvania Rep. John Schlegel, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Associate Provost for Academic Innovation and Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education Timothy Slekar, Millersville University of Pennsylvania President Daniel Wubah, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Senior Vice President of Federal Relations and Outreach William Lindsay, and PHEAA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Nathan Hench. Carly Sitrin, Chalkbeat Philadelphia bureau chief, was the panel moderator.
In March 2025, Segar was named as a “20 People to Know in Higher Education” by the Pittsburgh Business Times. In February, the IUP Collegiate Women in Progress presented him with an award of appreciation “with sincere gratitude for outstanding support for the IUP community.”
Segar came to IUP from his work as vice president for student affairs at Shepherd University. Prior to his work there, Segar worked at Gettysburg College, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Maryland, College Park.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a certificate in African American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park; his master’s degree in counseling with a specialization in college student personnel from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania; and his doctorate in college student personnel administration with a concentration on teaching and social justice in higher education from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As IUP celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.