FSU’s Bittinger Recognized by The Daily Record on 2024 Top 100 Women in Maryland List

FSU's Bittinger Recognized by The Daily Record on 2024 Top 100 Women in Maryland List

Mar 15, 2024 8:00 AM

The Daily Record has announced the 2024 Top 100 Women in Maryland honorees, and among that list of heavy female hitters is Frostburg State University's Dr. Sara-Beth Bittinger, associate vice president for Academic Operations and Fiscal Affairs.

"It is an honor to be recognized, and I am tremendously grateful to my family and work team," said Bittinger. "I appreciate all of my amazing mentors who have afforded me the opportunity to learn, grow and work hard for my community, both at Frostburg State University and within Mountain Maryland."

"The 2024 Maryland's Top 100 Women are leading companies, creating change, breaking barriers and charting new territory," said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, managing director of The Daily Record/Bridge Tower Media. "They are leaders who make a difference in their communities and also mentor and inspire future leaders toward success."

Bittinger and the other 99 honorees were chosen for this recognition by past Top 100 Women and business leaders for their professional accomplishments, community involvement and leadership. Since joining the FSU ranks in 2012, she has held several leadership roles, including research analyst, director of Assessment and Institutional Research, interim director of Graduate Services and interim assistant vice president for Analytics.

She earned her bachelor's in 2000 from FSU where she majored in economics and minored in business administration. Bittinger went on to earn a master's in 2002 in applied economics from the University of Delaware and returned to FSU to pursue her doctorate, earning her degree in educational leadership in higher education in 2017.

At FSU, Bittinger currently serves as a co-chair of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Self-Study and the chair of the Student Learning Assessment Advisory Group and Graduate Learning Assessment Advisory Group, chair of the Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness Council, chair of Distance Education Advisory Group and chair of the Proposal Advisory Group. She is responsible for multiple projects, including FSU's academic catalog and calendar, articulation agreements and external curriculum proposals and is the project manager for Kuali Online Curriculum Management and Catalog tool.

"I have worked with Dr. Bittinger, and I've been amazed with the amount of work and advocacy she does in bringing people along and moving forward. She stimulates the work we do on the FSU campus," said Dr. Artie Travis, vice president for Student Affairs. "Dr. Bittinger has given much to the students and her peers on this campus, and I consider it an honor to call her a valued colleague and friend."

Bittinger is no stranger to community service either. She was elected to serve on the Allegany County Board of Education for two terms after initially being appointed by Gov. O'Malley. "Sara-Beth values education as is evidenced in her career and commitment to Frostburg State University," said Dr. Ronald Nowaczyk, FSU's president. "What makes Sara-Beth unique in many ways is her ability to see the connection in education at all levels. She has an appreciation for the importance of change to improve the quality of life in rural Western Maryland."

Bittinger also serves as the chair of the steering committee for the Leadership Allegany program through the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce, a program that has allowed her to facilitate mentoring professionals across the community. "Meeting new professionals across our community and leveraging these experiences and relationships to cultivate up-and-coming leaders within our community are inspiring," said Bittinger.

"What can't be seen from Dr. Bittinger's vitae is the way in which she enthusiastically pours herself into everything she does," said Betsey Hurwitz-Schwab, three-time Top 100 Women in Maryland award winner and 2018 Circle of Excellence inductee. "Whether it is doing research at the college, teaching her children how to be good people and good athletes, setting an example for other women by being accepting and listening, or running a race, she does it with gusto."

"It's wonderful that Dr. Sara-Beth Bittinger has been honored as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women," said Al Delia, FSU's acting president. "It is gratifying to know that The Daily Record has recognized what we here at FSU have known for a long time - her work and contributions to FSU, the broader regional community and the entire state are outstanding and deserving of broad recognition."

Bittinger resides in Frostburg with her husband, Zach, and two children, Lavada (6) and Jonas (4), and her family remains what she is most proud of. She strives every day to be a role model for her children, yet another job at which she clearly excels according to her daughter. "My mom is so powerful and unstoppable. She is kind and I love her very much."

This year's Top 100 Women will be honored at an awards celebration on May 6 at the Lyric in Baltimore.

For a complete list of the 2024 winners, visit https://thedailyrecord.com/event/top-100-women.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.