An email from provost search committee co-chairs Sandy Henry and Chuck Phillips on Nov. 13 announced the names of three finalists for the next provost: Gillian Stewart-Wells, Dan Hansen and Joe Valenzano. Each finalist was assigned a date to visit campus — Nov. 18, Nov. 20 and Dec. 3.
The provost responsibilities on campus include: academic leadership, faculty affairs, curriculum and programs, budgeting, general student success and accreditation efforts of the university.
During their visit, each candidate meets with selected representatives, campus communities and broader “campus units,” according to the email from Henry and Phillips. The visits also include a public forum where each candidate delivers a presentation on their priorities if chosen as Drake University’s next provost.
“It has been such an honor to serve as one of the two student representatives serving on the provost search committee,” said Sean Groh, academic affairs student senator, in an email. “Being able to represent over 3,000 students by searching for a candidate that is going to impact all of our educational experiences is something that I hold very close to my heart, and something that I recognize comes with great responsibility.”
In their cover letters, the finalists outlined their priorities and leadership experience. Stewart-Wells, who is currently on sabbatical after serving as provost and acting president at Judson University, highlighted her experience guiding academic strategy, expanding student success initiatives and strengthening collaborative, data-informed decision-making.
Hansen, who serves as the J. Bruce Laughrey Endowed Dean and a professor of pharmacy practice at South Dakota State University, emphasized his experience in academic leadership, interdisciplinary program support and student-focused initiatives in his cover letter.
The third finalist, Valenzano, professor and dean of the College of Communication at Butler University, emphasized in his cover letter his experience leading curricular reform, strengthening shared governance and building new student pathways. He highlighted his work in faculty and student support, fundraising partnerships and cultivating mission-driven academic culture, saying these experiences align closely with Drake’s expectations for its next provost.
The provost forum on Nov. 18 had roughly 65 people in attendance, with an estimated five to 10 being students and the majority being faculty or staff. The forum on Nov. 20 yielded a similar turnout.
Attendance at these forums offer campus community members — including students — a chance to hear directly from the finalists and ask questions about their vision for Drake’s academic future. Sue Mattison, Drake’s current provost, said she is hopeful about the transition and confident in the work of the search committee.
“I’ve tried my best to support Drake and to ensure its sustainability,” said Mattison. “And looking to the future, I know that other people will do a great job and come in with new ideas, [that] may be different from mine, but I know that there are values that we hold as really important values and principles, and whomever is hired will have those same values.”
Valenzano will visit campus Dec. 3 and hold a forum in Cowles Library’s Reading Room at 10 a.m.
Lily Fleming contributed to reporting.
