Associate Dean of Freshmen D. E. Lorraine Sterritt will leave her post June 30 to become Dean of Freshmen in the University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts and Sciences, the Freshmen Dean's Office (FDO) announced yesterday.

Sterritt, who was assistant dean of freshmen from 1996 to 1998 and has served as associate dean for the past two years, said she is "very sorry to leave Harvard" but added that her Penn position is "a step up" for her career.

"It represents a very interesting opportunity to work on their advising program there," she said.

Sterritt said she will focus on first-year academic advising at Penn in addition to teaching French literature.

Sterritt will leave Harvard June 30 and begin her work at Penn the following day.

Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley Nathans said Sterritt's hiring is part of a major effort by Penn to reorganize its advising services over the past several months.

"I am delighted for Dean Sterritt that she will have the opportunity to shape a well-supported program of academic advising from its inception and know how lucky her new colleagues in Penn's College of Arts and Sciences will be to benefit from her talents and her dedication," Nathans wrote in an e-mail message.

Nathans said Sterritt has made "immense contributions" during her time at Harvard.