Cornell B. LeSane II Named Dean of Admissions at Allegheny College

Cornell LeSaneAug. 5, 2014 – Cornell B. LeSane II has been named dean of admissions at Allegheny College. LeSane, who has more than 15 years of experience working in higher education, was most recently associate director of admission at Carnegie Mellon University.

“It’s been great becoming better acquainted with Allegheny College,” said LeSane. “I’ve been met with such a warm reception and am honored to be a part of the community. I am extremely excited about this amazing opportunity and cannot wait to join the Gator family.”

At CMU LeSane had been promoted to associate director from a position as assistant director of admission and coordinator of ethnic diversity recruitment. He began his career as an admissions coordinator at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

He has been active both in professional associations and in his community, having served on the steering committee for the Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy, a magnet school for 6th through 12th graders, and as committee chair for College Success 101, an outreach program geared toward inner-city youth in the Pittsburgh area. He has also served as a judge for the Hightower Scholarships to underrepresented students in southwestern Pennsylvania and the Dominion Award of Achievement Scholarship.

He has also served as a faculty member for the College Exploration Experience and College For Every Student, two programs designed to help high school students prepare for, gain access to and succeed in college.

In 2009 he received CMU’s Andy Award—named for Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon—for Outstanding Commitment to Students.

LeSane earned a B.A. in political science from Hampton University and a master of public management, with a concentration in leadership in higher education, from CMU. He and his wife, Annitra, have four children.

In addition to LeSane’s appointment, Brett Van Wagner, a 2008 graduate of Allegheny College, will be joining the staff of the college’s Enrollment and College Relations division. Van Wagner, who holds a B.A. in communication arts, most recently worked in park operations and special events at the Walt Disney Company, where he attended the Emerging Leader Program.