The search committee for Missouri State University’s next provost has narrowed the candidate pool down to five.
The finalists are:
Dr. Mitchell McKinney, dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Akron since 2021. McKinney has more than 30 years in higher education. He served as acting deputy provost at the University of Missouri from 2016-2020, department of communication chair from 2013-2016 and associate chair from 2009-2013, as well as director of the Political Communication Institute from 2012-2021 and director of graduate studies from 2010-2013.
Dr. Clarenda Phillips, faculty member for the Academy of New Provosts with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities since 2023 and system lead for reimagining STEM equity at Texas A&M University. Phillips has had more than 30 years of experience in higher education. She served for six years as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as well as the same role at Norte Dame of Maryland University from 2016-2018. She was associate vice president of academic affairs at Morehead State from 2007-2012 and department chair of sociology, social work and criminology from 2012-2016.
Dr. James Satterfield, dean of the College of Education at Boise State University. He has over two decades of higher education experience, serving as department head of counseling, leadership and special education in the College of Education at Missouri State University from 2016-2020 and program coordinator for the PhD in higher education program at Clemson University from 2009-2011. He also led the department of educational foundations, leadership and technology at Auburn University from 2020-2022.
Dr. Mark Smith, dean of the McQueary College of Health and Human Services at Missouri State since 2019. He’s served as sport pedagogy and physical education program coordinator and associate dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado from 2004-2019 and has over two decades in higher education.
Dr. Shawn Wahl, founding dean of the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities at MO State who has 22 years in higher education. He’s served as department head of communication from 2012-2017 and interim dean and then dean of the College of Arts and Letters from 2017-2023 at MSU. He’s also served as a department head of communication, mass media and theatre at Angelo State University from 2009-2012 and was founding director of graduate studies at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi where he worked from 2004-2009.
The finalists will take part in public forums at the university's Plaster Student Union Theatre and by Zoom next month.
Forum schedule
- Smith: Friday, February 7, 9-10:30 a.m.
- Wahl: Monday, February 10, 2:30-4 p.m.
- Phillips: Tuesday, February 11, 2:30-4 p.m.
- Satterfield: Wednesday, February 12, 2:30-4 p.m.
- McKinney: Tuesday, Feb. 18. 2:30-4 p.m.
Find out more about the candidates and the forums here.
