Athens State University is pleased to announce that Dr. Catherine Wehlburg will be joining the University as Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. She was selected after a nearly year-long nationwide search led by Greenwood/Asher and Associates LLC which included virtual interviews and on-campus forums with faculty, staff, and students.
Dr. Wehlburg received her B.S. in Psychology and her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Florida. She has over three decades of experience in higher education and has served in several different roles including tenured full professor, department chair, associate dean, dean, and associate provost. Currently, she serves as Senior Fellow at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), and, prior to that, served as Founding Dean for the School of Sciences, Mathematics, and Education and Professor of Psychology at Marymount University.
She is known nationally for her scholarly and practical administrative work in teaching and learning and the assessment of learning outcomes. She has been recognized for her work in student learning outcomes assessment by being elected president of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE) and has received their Outstanding Achievement Award. She is currently Editor-in-Chief for the New Directions for Teaching and Learning (NDTL) series.
Dr. Wehlburg has also served on many accreditation committees for The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and chaired several of these committees focusing on substantive change visits and off-site evaluations. In addition, she has led faculty and professional development as Texas Christian University’s Director of the Koehler Center for Teaching Excellence and has created frameworks for meaningful assessment and accreditation work in higher education. In each of these roles, she has focused on mission, student learning, and strategic decision making.
“Dr. Wehlburg is unique in that she understands the faculty and the administrative sides of a university,” said Athens State University President, Dr. Philip Way. “I believe she will elevate the stature of Athens State and be an excellent fit with our mission which emphasizes teaching and learning.”
“I am honored and thrilled to become part of the Athens State community,” Dr. Wehlburg stated. “I am impressed by the vision and mission of Athens State as it celebrates 200 years of educational excellence. I look forward to collaborating with President Way and the many talented and passionate people who are part of this extraordinary institution. As we enter into a new era of possibilities in the 21st century, we have much to celebrate and many opportunities to provide continued educational and economic mobility to our students, their families, and our communities.”
Dr. Wehlburg is scheduled to begin her duties on June 1.