University of Redlands
Dear University Community:
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Adrienne McCormick will be joining the University as our new Provost. Her first day on campus will be July 18.
Dr. McCormick joins the University from Winthrop University in South Carolina, where she served as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. In this role, she led collaboration with faculty and staff to establish and execute priorities for Winthrop’s academic programs and activities. She also directed regional and global engagement efforts while supporting the president, senior leadership, and the board of trustees on strategic initiatives and institutional effectiveness.
Throughout her tenure in higher education, Dr. McCormick has focused on building and retaining a diverse faculty and staff while effectively promoting student enrollment and success. While at Winthrop, Dr. McCormick led the university’s comprehensive academic master planning process, which includes a vision for new programs focused on health, design, and innovation. She also supported the expansion of transfer pathways and faculty/industry partnerships in business, finance, and social service.
Prior to serving as Provost, Dr. McCormick served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In that role, she advanced campus programming and experiential learning opportunities within health professions in the community. She also supported the launch of the Bachelor of Professional Studies, an adult degree program, and an online Master of Social Work.
Before Winthrop, Dr. McCormick spent 20 years within the State University of New York system, culminating in her role as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at SUNY Oswego.
Dr. McCormick has a Ph.D. in literature in English from the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her M.A. with writing emphasis in English literature and creative writing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is a B.A. double-major in English literature and dramatic arts and sciences from Queens University of Charlotte.
As Provost at Redlands, Dr. McCormick will build upon our dynamic academic program offerings. She will identify opportunities for innovation and collaboration and consider options to add programs in response to demand. She will also evaluate how the College of Arts and Sciences (including the new School of Performing Arts), the Graduate School of Theology, and the schools of Education, Business & Society, and Continuing Studies can best work together to promote institutional strength and enhance student opportunities.
Additionally, Dr. McCormick’s experience in strategic planning and implementation will serve her well as we begin to build out our strategic plan utilizing the feedback we heard from all of our constituents. I also look forward to her partnership with our vice president of marketing and communications as we look to increase student enrollment and retention.
We are at a critical juncture in our university's history, and Dr. McCormick will lead our academic work to strengthen student success, increase the diversity of our faculty, and consider how to meet our equity and inclusion goals programmatically while ensuring strong student outcomes.
I would like to extend my appreciation to our search committee members, especially Dr. Nicol Howard as co-chair, and the campus community for your work, time, and commitment to the search process.
Please join me in extending a warm Bulldog welcome to Dr. McCormick and her family!
Sincerely,
Krista L. Newkirk
President
