Three finalists for vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs invited for campus interviews

22 Jul 2013

Rachel Holloway, Susan Sumner, Bevlee Watford

Virginia Tech continues with its search for a new vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs. The search committee has identified three finalists who have been invited to interview for the position over the next three weeks.

Following a divisional reorganization, the vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs will oversee the strategies, programs, and resources that support the undergraduate educational experience at Virginia Tech. This person will work closely with college deans, associate deans, and the other vice provosts to coordinate strategic initiatives to advance Virginia Tech’s undergraduate education profile.

Senior Vice President and Provost Mark McNamee invites all members of the university community to meet the candidates selected for interviews. Each candidate will give an open forum presentation on “The Vision for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at Virginia Tech.” The presentations will be broadcast live via AdobeConnect for remote participants, and recordings of the sessions will be available online once they are given.

Candidate CVs and survey links to provide feedback will be posted on the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost in advance of each interview date.

The search committee encourages all campus and community members to submit feedback via the online surveys.

July 30, 2013 – Rachel L. Holloway

Rachel Holloway is the associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. She received a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Morehead State University, and a master’s degree and doctoral degree in communication from Purdue University.

She has served on the faculty at Virginia Tech since 1989. She has progressed through academic administrative and leadership roles, having served as undergraduate program coordinator, assistant department head, and head of the Department of Communication before assuming her current position as associate dean.

Open Forum Presentation: Tuesday, July 30, 4 to 5 p.m., Fralin Hall Auditorium

Aug. 1, 2013 – Susan S. Sumner

Susan Sumner is the associate dean and director for academic programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She received a bachelor’s degree in food science from North Carolina State University, and a master’s degree and doctoral degree in food science/food safety from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

She began her faculty career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She joined the faculty at Virginia Tech in 1996 and has served as an Extension project leader and department head for the Department of Food Science and Technology before moving into her current role as associate dean.

Open Forum Presentation: Thursday, Aug.1, 4 to 5 p.m., Fralin Hall Auditorium

Aug. 6, 2013 – Bevlee A. Watford

Bevlee Watford is the associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering and also serves as the director for the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity. She received a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering and a master’s degree and doctoral degree in industrial engineering and operations research, all from Virginia Tech.

She began her faculty career at Clemson University and came to Virginia Tech in 1992. In addition to being the founding director of the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity, she has served as a National Science Foundation program director and interim department head in the College of Engineering.

Open Forum Presentation: Tuesday, Aug. 6, 4 to 5 p.m., Fralin Hall Auditorium

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.