Drake University announced Jan. 20 that Joseph M. Valenzano III will succeed Provost Sue Mattison following her retirement in July. Currently, Valenzano serves as dean of the College of Communication at Butler University, a position he has held since January 2023.
In the provost role, Valenzano will oversee the seven academic colleges and schools on campus.
Sandy Henry, co-chair of the provost search committee, said the Drake community held a strong role throughout the provost search process. Guided by the University’s mission and core values, the committee worked collaboratively over several months, with faculty, staff and students participating in interviews and public candidate forums.
“I’m really proud of the engagement of the campus community in the process! This was truly a collaborative effort,” said Henry in an email interview.
Henry said the breadth of campus engagement reflected a shared commitment to selecting a provost who aligns with Drake’s values and serves the needs of the entire community, which Valenzano seeks to do.
“It was quickly apparent that Drake was special — a place I wanted to be a part of. The more I learned about it, the more it felt like my career had led me to Drake,” Valenzano said in an email.
Above all, Valenzano sought schools that made actionable steps to prioritize and ensure a commitment to access and inclusion.
“Drake combined all these things I loved about the universities I’ve contributed to and grew from, into one mission-focused, student-centered place. I knew instantly I wanted to be a part of that,” Valenzano said.
