Four Women to Serve as Provosts at Major Universities

Robyn Hannigan has been named provost at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. She has been serving as a faculty member and the founding dean of the School for the Environment at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Earlier in her career she served as program officer at the National Science Foundation, co-founder and chief science officer at GeoMed Analytical, and a faculty member at Arkansas State University.

Dr. Hannigan is a graduate of the College of New Jersey where she majored in biology. She holds a master’s degree in geology from the University at Buffalo of the State University of New York, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in earth and environmental science from the University of Rochester in New York.

Carol Parker has been named provost at New Mexico State University. She currently serves as senior adviser for academic affairs at the University of Texas at El Paso. Before coming to UTEP, she served as senior vice provost for academic affairs at the University of New Mexico. Prior to that, she was an associate dean and director of the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Professor Parker is a graduate of Michigan State University where she majored in humanities. She holds a master’s degree in information science from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.

Wanda Coneal has been named interim provost and vice president of academic affairs at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Prior to this appointment, she had served as dean of the university’s School of Humanities, Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences since 2017. Before coming to Saint Augustine’s, she was a tenured faculty member at North Carolina Central University, where she held a variety of leadership roles including interim dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

Dr. Coneal is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree in human resources administration from Central Michigan University and a Ph.D. in education and human development from Vanderbilt University.

Farrah Jackson Ward has been named provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina. She has been a faculty member at the university since 2007, most recently serving as interim provost. Her other roles have included associate director for the Computational Science and Scientific Visualization Center, chair of the department of mathematics and computer science, and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Dr. Ward is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. both in mathematics from North Carolina State University.