National Selection Committee
Jo Allen
As senior vice president and provost at Widener University, Dr. Jo Allen oversees the administrative and curricular work of planning, budgeting, goal-setting, and assessment for academic programming in eight schools and colleges. In addition, she oversees the work of Student Affairs, as well as the Honors program, Cooperative Education, Theatre Widener, multi-media resources, academic support programs, and the libraries. She co-chairs the University’s strategic planning work that has received national acclaim for integrating planning, budgeting, assessment, accreditation, and now a comprehensive fund-raising campaign for the University. Dr. Allen earned her doctorate from in English literature with an emphasis in technical and professional communication from Oklahoma State University.
Harry Berman
Harry J. Berman serves as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He began his career teaching in the gerontology and human services programs at the University of Illinois at Springfield after earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and a doctorate from Washington University. Dr. Berman has served as president of the Illinois Association of Graduate Schools and as chair of the Publication Committee for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools.
Jerilyn S. McIntyre
Dr. Jerilyn S. McIntyre became the 13th president – and the first female president – of Central Washington University (CWU) in 2000. Prior to taking the helm at CWU, she served for 23 years at the University of Utah in several capacities including interim president and vice president for academic affairs. Before joining the University of Utah faculty in the Department of Communication, Dr. McIntyre taught at the University of Iowa School of Journalism and at Chico State College in California. She was among the first alumni inducted into the University of Washington Department of Communication’s Alumni Hall of Fame.
Suzanne Ozment
After 20 years service to The Citadel as a professor and dean of undergraduate studies, Dr. Suzanne Ozment joined the University of South Carolina-Aiken as executive vice chancellor of academic affairs. She holds a doctorate in Victorian literature from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from East Carolina University. Dr. Ozment has published articles on Thomas Hardy, Robert Browning, and Matthew Arnold and has co-edited The Voice of Toil, an anthology on 19th Century British literary works. She serves on review panels for the National Endowment for the Humanities and as chair of the South Carolina Humanities Council.
William M. Plater
William M. Plater is currently director of International Community Development at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Chancellor’s Professor of Public Affairs, Philanthropic Studies, English, and Informatics. He served as the chief academic officer at IUPUI for nineteen years, until 2006. In his present position he is seeking greater collaboration and intentionality in the international aspirations of the university and the Indianapolis region, and he is promoting the concept of IUPUI’s graduating globally competent and responsible citizens.
Fred J. Taylor
Chancellor and professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Dr. Fred J. Taylor currently serves as a consultant for the Arkansas Aging Initiative of the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging. His 42 years of higher education experience includes work as a professor and director of research at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, associate professor and director of institutional research for the University of Arkansas, and executive assistant to the president of the University of Arkansas System. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University, master’s from the University of Oklahoma, and doctorate in education from the University of Northern Colorado.
Gail Wells
Dr. Gail W. Wells serves as the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at Northern Kentucky University. She has responsibility for the graduate and undergraduate programs in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Informatics, Education & Human Services, Business, Health Professions, the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, the Honors Program, University Programs, Enrollment Management, Steely Library and Information Technology and a $140 million budget. Dr. Wells has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a second major in music, and a doctoral degree in mathematics education from the University of Cincinnati. She completed a program in educational leadership at Harvard University in 2001. As provost, she has developed a new area of scholarship focused on the role of public engagement in the mission of a 21st century metropolitan university. She is currently coauthoring a book titled On Becoming an Engaged University: A Guide for Colleges and Universities.