Harlan Sands has bought the same approach to each stop on his unique career path — learning from the ground up. Sands, who became Cleveland State University’s seventh president in the last 54 years last June, hopes to use CSU’s downtown location to help build the university as a power center of the city. “We’re going to be a beacon for the city by drawing talent into Cleveland,” says Sands. “We’re inextricably intertwined with the city and always will be.”
TAKING THE LEAD: With a 20-year background in higher education, including stops at Florida International, Alabama-Birmingham, Louisville and the Wharton School, Sands has the power to lead CSU into a new era. “Ultimately, I’m responsible for everything that happens on this campus, but that comes with a heavy dose of humility,” he says. “I don’t think about it in terms of power…It’s combining vision, hard work and putting the right talent teams together.”
SHIFTING GEARS: Sands earned two Naval Commendation medals before moving into a law career as an assistant public defender in Miami. “I went from being respected for wearing a uniform to representing folks who were not in the most respected part of society,” he says.
BRAND NAME: Sands hopes to build CSU’s presence. “We want to expand our footprint beyond Northeast Ohio. We believe our offerings can be a beacon to students outside of the region,” he says.
GETTING STARTED: “We are focusing on crafting strategic priorities for the University which we will be sharing with the community in the coming months. We are committed to dedicating the resources to achieve these priorities and enhancing our role as both an anchor and beacon institution for the region.”
