Five Women Appointed to Provost Positions at Universities

Lois Agnew has been named interim vice chancellor and provost at Syracuse University in New York.

For the past year, Dr. Agnew has served as the university’s associate provost for academic programs. During her two-decades-long career at Syracuse University, she has served as a professor of writing and rhetoric, associate dean of curriculum, innovation, and pedagogy for the College of Arts and Sciences, chair of the department of writing studies, rhetoric, and composition, and director of undergraduate studies for the writing program. She has also held various interim leadership appointments within the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Agnew received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in English from the University of Texas at Arlington. She holds a Ph.D. in English from Texas Christian University.

Georgina Dopico has been appointed provost of New York University, after holding the position on an interim basis for the past two years.

Prior to her interim appointment, Dr. Dopico spent six years as dean for the humanities. She has served as a professor of Spanish and Portuguese languages and literatures at New York University for over two decades. She is the author of various publications on early modern Spain and its global empire, including Perfect Wives, Other Women: Adultery and Inquisition in Early Modern Spain (Duke University Press, 2001).

Dr. Dopico is a graduate of Harvard University, where she majored in history and literature. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Spanish and Portuguese from Yale University.

Michelle Kiec has been named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Commonwealth University in Pennsylvania.

Since 2022, Dr. Kiec has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma City University. Earlier in her career, she spent 10 years with Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, serving in roles such as interim vice provost for extended and lifelong learning, dean of graduate studies, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and acting dean of the College of Education.

Dr. Kiec is a graduate of the University at Buffalo in New York, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in music performance and German. She holds a master of music degree and doctor of musical arts degree in clarinet from the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Heather Shipley has been officially appointed provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She was named interim provost last summer.

A member of the university’s faculty since 2007, Dr. Shipley is a full professor and holds the Peter T. Flawn Chair in the department of civil and environmental engineering. She has held several leadership positions during her tenure including director of the Ph.D. program in environmental sciences and engineering, director of the Interactive Technology Experience Center, senior vice provost of academic affairs, and dean of the university college. She was also previously appointed to two other endowed professorships: the Burzik Professorship in Engineering Design and the Hispanic Thriving Institution Endowed Chair of the University College.

Dr. Shipley is a graduate of Baylor University in Wsco, Texas, where she majored in chemistry. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering from Rice University in Houston.

Regina Stovall Robinson has been selected to serve as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at Jarvis Christian University in Texas.

With over four decades of higher education experience, Dr. Robinson has spent the past 16 months as assistant vice president for institutional research and effectiveness at Jarvis Christian University. Prior to her present position, she held several roles with Southern University at Shreveport including program director of clinical laboratory science, chair of the department of biology and chemistry, dean of allied health, assistant vice chancellor of academic affairs, and vice chancellor of research, sponsored programs, and institutional effectiveness.

Dr. Robinson holds a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, a master’s degree in human relations and supervision from Louisiana Tech University, and a Ph.D. in biomedical research from Louisiana State University.