Ansary had held the position on an interim basis since July 2010 while Penn State Harrisburg conducted a national search for the senior leadership position, according to the college.

"He has overseen progress in many areas, including undergraduate enrollment growth of nearly 10 percent, establishment of an office dedicated to advancing graduate studies at the college, the development of new academic programs, and creation of the Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels," Chancellor Mukund Kulkarni said in a statement.

Ansary joined the college in 1985 and was director of its School of Science, Engineering and Technology for the past nine years.