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Shuffling in the provost's office as IWU prepares for its new president

A distinctive brick facade with glossy windows is labelled with a concrete edifice that reads: The Ames Library
Ralph Weisheit
/
WGLT file
Incoming Illinois Wesleyan University President Sheahon Zenger is due to start July 1, at which point the search for a permanent provost will begin, according to a university spokesperson.

Illinois Wesleyan University has a new provost — again.

Veteran business professor and Interim Chair of Economics Dave Marvin will now serve as the university's interim provost and dean of the faculty as IWU prepares to welcome its new president. Marvin has worked at IWU since 1994 and teaches business law and management seminar.

Interim provost Abigail Kerr left IWU last week after 12 years in the psychology department. She replaced provost Mark Brodl in January, who stepped down to return to teaching.

Kerr worked in the Provost’s Office for two years as associate dean for scholarly and creative work, becoming interim provost for a one-year term beginning in January — intended to overlap with the beginning of incoming president Sheahon Zenger’s tenure.

Zenger is due to start July 1, at which point the search for a permanent provost will begin, according to a university spokesperson. Zenger succeeds Georgia Nugent, who stepped down after five years in the presidency.

Kerr left higher education altogether, becoming director of grants and federal affairs at McAllister & Quinn, a federal grant consultancy in Washington, D.C. According to a statement, Kerr pursued a position out of state to be closer to her family.

Lauren Warnecke is a reporter at WGLT. You can reach Lauren at lewarne@ilstu.edu.