Selection of Marie Mora as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
I am very pleased to announce that Marie T. Mora will become Purdue University Northwest’s next provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, effective July 15.
Dr. Mora was selected through a nationwide search that began in the early spring semester. She currently serves as deputy provost at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Dr. Mora has played impactful roles in public higher education institutions for nearly three decades, including extensive experience at Hispanic-Serving Institutions. A labor economist, she has been invited to share her research expertise on Hispanic/Latino socioeconomic outcomes with institutions and agencies across the country, including the White House, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. She also has been PI or co-PI on $4 million in federally funded projects, including multiple National Science Foundation projects.
As PNW’s chief academic officer, Dr. Mora will oversee our six colleges and the academic programs they offer, the Office of International Programs and Partnerships, retention efforts, institutional effectiveness, Office of Sponsored Research, ensure educational excellence and further distinctive learning opportunities for students.
Dr, Mora started serving as deputy provost at MSU Denver in August 2022, where she also served as provost ad interim and executive vice president for Academic Affairs from February 2023 to January 2024. Previously she served in leadership and faculty positions at University of Missouri – St. Louis and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and as director of the NSF-funded American Economic Association Mentoring Program. You can view her full CV via the PNW website.
She earned a Ph.D. in Economics from Texas A&M University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from the University of New Mexico in her hometown of Albuquerque.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Mora to PNW and working collaboratively with her to continue to advance our academic mission.
I also would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to Dr. Niaz Latif for his leadership as interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. Dr. Latif will continue his distinguished career with PNW as associate vice chancellor for Commercialization and Research and executive director of the Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center (CMEC).
Finally, please join me in thanking the search committee for their diligent effort in filling this crucial position for our university:
- Lisa Goodnight, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and Professor of Communication, Chair
- Amy Fry, Dean of the College of Nursing
- Raida Abuizam, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Professor of Operations Management
- Nicolae Tarfulea, Professor of Mathematics
- Jake Lenson, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Planning, Infrastructure and Facilities
- Amanda Zelechoski, Director of Clinical Training and Professor of Psychology
- Kwangsoo Park, Associate Dean, College of Business and Director of the White Lodging School of HTM
- Britt Hudson, Assistant Dean of Students
- Chandramouli Chandramouli, Department Chair, Construction Science and Organizational Leadership and Professor of Construction Engineering and Management Technology
- Darien Thompson, Director of Student Success and Urban Engagement
- Matt Wells. Chief Engagement Officer, Office of the Chancellor
- Martha Jackson, Academic and Student Success Advisor
- Diane Spoljoric, Faculty Senate Vice Chair and Associate Professor of Nursing
Kenneth C. (Chris) Holford, Chancellor