Saint Joseph's University Announces Dr. Cheryl A. McConnell as New Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The Rockhurst University business dean and associate provost to join SJU in June

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Feb 14, 2019, 10:30 ET

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheryl A. McConnell, Ph.D., an accomplished higher education leader, academician and business practitioner, will assume the role of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Saint Joseph's University on June 15. She succeeds Jeanne F. Brady, Ph.D., a 20-year SJU leader and educational scholar who will retire in June.

Dr. Cheryl McConnell will join Saint Joseph's University as Provost in June. Photo courtesy of Rockhurst University.

McConnell joins SJU from fellow Jesuit institution Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, where she has held a number of progressively responsible leadership positions across the university, most recently serving as dean of the College of Business, Influence and Information Analysis since 2012 and as associate provost for academic affairs since 2017. In addition, she served as the interim dean of the College of Health and Human Services from 2016 to 2017. She has a strong track record of interdisciplinary collaboration, program innovation and growth, faculty development, budget management and the formation of strategic partnerships.

"Dr. McConnell is the right chief academic officer for Saint Joseph's to help us realize the high aspirations of our strategic plan and move the institution forward," says SJU President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D. "She is a strategic thinker, innovator, collaborator and action-oriented leader who is committed to excellence and mission. As we diversify our academic portfolio, open a new school, forge partnerships and raise the national profile of Saint Joseph's, she is exactly the academic leader we need at the helm."

McConnell's business acumen and wealth of experience have honed a sharp understanding of the economic model and financial complexities of higher education. As business dean, she tripled graduate enrollments through creative and market-responsive program development. Since 2006, she has served as a member of Rockhurst's planning and budgetary committee. Additionally, McConnell led accrediting and reaccrediting efforts across professional schools.

"Cheryl's legacy at Rockhurst University will be felt for a long time," says Rockhurst President Thomas B. Curran, S.J. "She helped transform the generation of students she taught, thoughtfully and successfully partnered with faculty and staff colleagues, and journeyed with alumni, trustees and civic leaders in multiple efforts to improve the quality of life in the Kansas City region. Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley will now be significantly enriched by her presence and work as she transitions from being a 'Hawk' in the Midwest to her new home on Hawk Hill on City Avenue."

McConnell, who will join the accounting faculty at SJU, received a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Saint Louis University and bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from Wichita State University. Additionally, she completed the Institute of Educational Management, a two-week immersion and leadership experience for senior-level higher education administrators, at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to her academic career, McConnell was a senior accountant at former Big 5 accounting firm Arthur Anderson.

About Saint Joseph's University
Founded in 1851 in the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, Saint Joseph's University is a top-ranked Catholic University that provides a rigorous, student-centered education. With a total enrollment of 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students, SJU offers a wide array of academic programs designed so that each graduate enters the world with a competitive resume and global perspective. This is achieved through intense academic study led by thought-leading faculty scholars, a comprehensive campus experience and robust study abroad, service-learning, internship and co-op programs. Upon graduation, nearly 100 percent of students are employed, pursuing advanced degrees or volunteering in prestigious service programs. A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, SJU offers 20 Division I intercollegiate men's and women's sports. SJU alumni — over 68,000 strong — provide a powerful network that spans the globe.

SOURCE Saint Joseph's University