ÃûæÂÖ±²¥

Francis M. Maxin ’64

Professor of Biology, Community College of Allegheny County
Bachelor of Arts, Biology

rancis Maxin is an Allegheny County native and was the eighth child of twelve in his household. He is a 1964 graduate of Gannon University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology before he pursued a Master of Science in Biology at Duquesne University followed by a Master of Science in Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh - specializing in epidemiology of infectious diseases. On a different note, Maxin is also a graduate of the Harvey Penick School of Golf, an accomplishment that served him well at the Community College of Allegheny County, where he was the college’s golf coach for several years.

This year, Professor Maxin is celebrating sixty years of teaching at the Community College of Allegheny County. He began his tenure at CCAC in 1966 and was a “founding father” of the college. He served as the chair of the biology department for approximately twenty years and continues to teach his courses in microbiology to this day.

In addition to his teaching experience, Maxin has also published a college textbook, Venereal Disease and Control, and was a textbook editor for nearly twenty years. He has also been an active member of the American Society for Microbiology, a worldwide scientific organization, for sixty years.

In 2022, Maxin was the recipient of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development award, celebrating his longstanding service and dedication to the CCAC community throughout the years. At the CCAC Spring 2026 commencement, Maxin served as the Grand Marshal for the event and was recognized by the college and Allegheny County with a proclamation from the County Executive and Allegheny County Council, which noted that “[Francis’] legacy is reflected not only in the years he has served, but in the thousands of lives he has touched.” It is estimated that Maxin has taught approximately twenty thousand students (and counting) throughout his teaching career.
Maxin is a proud brother of Gannon University’s Delta Sigma Phi fraternity Gamma Rho chapter and remains involved with the group to this day. He is the fourteenth member of the fraternity to be recognized by the Gannon University Alumni Association with a distinguished alumni award.

It is the Delta Sigma Phi brotherhood that Maxin credits with his ongoing association with the university, and he fondly remembers the reunions and gatherings he has attended with the organization throughout the years, along with the friendships he made along the way, especially Maxin’s college roommate, Brother Joseph Cooley, who coordinates most of his class and fraternity reunions. Maxin is also a member of the Gannon University Heritage Society and maintains a close relationship with the university.

In his free time, Maxin participates in charitable work and service with the Knights of Columbus, where he currently serves as the Grand Knight for his local chapter 2555. In terms of retirement, Maxin notes that his plans involve a microbiology concept: “I’ll retire when I decompose.”