Villanova University Names Christine Kelleher Palus, PhD, Senior Vice Provost for Academics 

Villanova University has announced the appointment of Christine Kelleher Palus, PhD, as Senior Vice Provost for Academics, effective August 1, 2025. A member of Villanova’s faculty since 2006, Dr. Palus has extensive experience in academic leadership roles and most recently served as Dean of the University’s College of Professional Studies. Dr. Palus holds the rank of professor in the Department of Public Administration.

“Dr. Palus is a highly respected and accomplished member of the Villanova community. Throughout her tenure, she has consistently embodied the values that define Villanova, and her outstanding academic record speaks volumes,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ‘75 CLAS. “We look forward to the impact of her vision and expertise as she continues to help shape the future of the academic experience at Villanova.”

As Villanova’s Senior Vice Provost for Academics, Dr. Palus will provide strategic guidance and collaborative leadership on initiatives, programs, operations and structures that support the faculty, teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and academic programs at the University. Her new role will include critical consultation and leadership for key academic functions of the University including academic programming, promotion and tenure, academic policy, academic grievances, and faculty governance, hiring, retention, recruitment, retirement and development.

“I am deeply honored to be appointed as the next Senior Vice Provost for Academics and grateful for the opportunity to serve the University in this new role,” remarked Dr. Palus. “I look forward to collaborating with our exceptional students, distinguished faculty, dedicated staff and visionary University leadership during this transformative time in Villanova’s history. With our Augustinian Catholic mission and values as our foundation, we will continue to work together to advance academic excellence in pursuit of the University’s ambitious goals.”

In her seven years as Dean of the College of Professional Studies, Dr. Palus led all aspects of the College, including strategic planning, program development, admissions and enrollment, student support, faculty affairs, financial planning and budgeting, operations, fundraising and corporate partnerships. She oversaw a diverse suite of campus and online offerings, including degree completion programs, non-credit professional programs, credit-bearing certificates, high school student programming and enrollment, among others.

Prior to joining the College of Professional Studies in 2018, Dr. Palus served as Dean of Graduate Studies in Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In this role, she had oversight of more than 20 graduate programs, including two PhD programs and several online professional programs. Dr. Palus previously was chair of Villanova’s Department of Public Administration and director of the Master of Public Administration program. Her academic career began at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where she was an assistant professor.

“Throughout her career, Dr. Palus has proven herself an innovative and collaborative leader who is committed to fostering academic excellence and furthering our Augustinian Catholic values,” said Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD, Provost. “Her vast knowledge and exceptional experience as an administrator, scholar and teacher will enrich the academic leadership team and the University as a whole. I look forward to continuing our work together to further Villanova’s academic enterprise.”

An accomplished scholar, Dr. Palus’ research on public administration, state politics and local government has been widely published in leading academic journals and other publications. Notably, Dr. Palus (with co-author Susan Webb Yackee, PhD) won the Beryl Radin award in 2016 from the Public Management Research Association for Best Article published in the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, one of the highest honors in the field of public management.

Dr. Palus earned her BA at Fairfield University, where she double majored in Visual and Performing Arts (Music) and Politics, and her MA and PhD in Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.

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