Marquette University has named Kimo Ah Yun as its permanent provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
Ah Yun has been acting provost since October 2018, following the departure of Dan Myers. He was previously dean of the Diederich College of Communication.
Marquette University president Michael Lovell announced the appointment on Monday, following a nine-month national search.
“Kimo has demonstrated tremendous leadership as acting provost over the past year, navigating some of Marquette’s more difficult issues with a calm professionalism and an eye toward what is best for our university,” Lovell said. “Kimo is committed to our Catholic, Jesuit mission, and his keen understanding of how our strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, lays the blueprint for our success in proactively addressing the challenges facing our industry positions him as the best academic leader for Marquette University. I’m delighted to continue our work together in the coming years.”
Prior to joining Marquette in 2016, Ah Yun was associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters, chair of the Department of Communication Studies, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning and a professor of communication studies at California State University, Sacramento.
“It is my great privilege to accept the honor and challenge of helping lead Marquette University into the future as its provost,” Ah Yun said. “There is so much to be proud of — I see examples of our faculty, students and staff living out our Catholic, Jesuit values every day, all to advance this great institution and provide the world-class, transformative education we promise to our students. Together, we will build on the great work happening across campus, work to improve morale across campus and address those areas where we are not fully living up to our mission.”
As a first-generation college student and the first person of color to serve as provost at Marquette, Ah Yun said he is proud of the strides the university has made in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, but that there is more to do.
“If we are to truly live out our Catholic, Jesuit mission and remain committed to the vision Archbishop Henni laid out 140 years ago, we have to work hard every day and make tough decisions to improve the climate at our university,” he said. “It’s going to take all of us, and as your provost I promise to make this a top priority now and into the future. Diversity isn’t a goal to be achieved or a box to be checked — it’s an evolving pursuit to make Marquette more reflective of the world around us.”
While in the acting provost role, he worked with the University Academic Senate to increase their voice on University Policies and Procedures, advocated for increased diversity programming, including for first-generation students, and oversaw recruitment of one of Marquette’s most diverse incoming classes in its history, according to the university.
