On July 30, Susan Edwards from Appalachian State will step in as the new provost for Wright State University.
Edwards succeeds Thomas Sudkamp who served as the university provost since 2015.
“I would like to thank the staff, faculty, and administration who worked tirelessly during this time for their commitment and support in helping achieve these goals. It has been and, until July, will continue to be an honor to serve the university as the Provost,” Sudkamp said in a WSU post.
Edwards was previously the vice provost for faculty affairs at the North Carolina based university who served in that position for the last three years. She was selected from an application pool of 50 candidates from a search that took place over the course of a four month search.
According to Wright State President Cheryl Schrader, Edwards received a unanimous vote.
“Dr. Edwards received unanimous support from our search committee, whose 14 members represented a cross section of the university, as well as community leaders,” Schrader said. “She also resonated personally with many of the faculty, staff, students, and community members who met with her during her visit to our campus. Those who interacted with her said they were impressed with her ability to listen closely, analyze questions quickly, and communicate clearly.”
Over the next couple of months Edwards will be making her transition into the Raider community as the provost. With this position she will also be the vice president of academic affairs at WSU.
“Her wide-ranging experience as a teacher, researcher, and administrator, her leadership skills, and her personal commitment to student success make her the perfect leader to join our university at this time,” Schrader said.
Edwards said she saw a lot of similar values in WSU as her Appalachian State school.
“I saw a lot of similarities to Wright State’s values as an institution and the values that I hold dear student-centered, student-oriented and a very dedicated faculty and staff. Then when I visited I realized the values are not just words, they’re actually part of the institution’s DNA. It was palpable,” Edwards said according to Dayton Business Journal.
Schrader said Edwards has a background that aligns with the Wright State.
“Her background also aligns well with the breadth of experiences we offer, from associate degrees to professional schools and doctorate programs to regional campuses, such as our Lake Campus. She has worked at a variety of institutions, including a world-class global research university and Appalachian State, which is committed to student success and student-centered research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” Schrader said.
