Vice Provost of Graduate Education and Director of the Graduate School
Leadership Profile |
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April 30, 2026 Dr. Ryan Thum
Dr. Ryan Thum is Professor of Plant Genetics and Department Head of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology at Montana State University. His research integrates genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics to develop practical tools for invasive plant and weed management, with the goal of delivering tangible environmental and economic benefits. Thum’s faculty career has focused on graduate education and student development. He has advised numerous M.S. and Ph.D. students pursuing careers across academia, government, and industry. He co-developed a graduate writing and professional development course designed to support student success and persistence. His service includes participation on university graduate committees and leadership roles in professional societies, where he has worked to strengthen graduate student engagement and representation. As a graduate of the LEAD21 leadership development program, Thum is particularly interested in strategic planning, communication, and leading adaptive change in complex academic environments. His leadership approach emphasizes collaboration, clarity of purpose, and fostering environments in which students, faculty, and programs can thrive. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ May 1, 2026 Dr. Mark Nawrot
Dr. Mark Nawrot is a neuroscientist and higher education leader with a record of advancing graduate education through policy innovation, program growth, and student success. He is Professor of Psychology at North Dakota State University where he has received multiple institutional awards for teaching and graduate mentorship. He recently served as Interim Dean of the College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies from October 2023 through August 2025, where he led institutional efforts to strengthen graduate programs, improve student support, and align policy with completion and workforce outcomes. Hailing from a farm family in Alberta, he earned his BS from the University of Alberta and completed graduate training at Northwestern University (MS) and Vanderbilt University (PhD), followed by postdoctoral work in behavioral neurology, cognitive neuroscience, and simulation-based research at the University of Iowa College of Medicine and College of Engineering. His NIH-funded research has focused on neural mechanisms of vision and eye movement control. From 2016 to 2023, Dr. Nawrot served as Chair of the Department of Psychology at NDSU, where he led sustained program growth, including a 30% increase in undergraduate enrollment. He strengthened recruitment and retention through expanded advising models and data-informed planning, positioning the department for long-term stability and growth. During his term as Interim Dean, he led reforms to graduate assistantship and tuition waiver policies and implemented a continuing enrollment framework designed to improve graduate student persistence and timely degree completion. His leadership emphasizes cross-campus collaboration, resource alignment, and scalable approaches to graduate education that support both academic excellence and institutional mission. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ May 4, 2026 Dr. Matthew Lovern
Dr. Matthew Lovern currently serves as Associate Dean in the Graduate College at Oklahoma State University (OSU), a position he has held for five years. OSU is an R1, land-grant institution enrolling nearly 30,000 students, approximately 6,000 of whom are graduate students. Dr. Lovern is also a tenured faculty member in the Department of Biology. Altogether, he has been at OSU for 23 years. In addition to being an accomplished researcher, teacher, and mentor, Dr. Lovern has amassed extensive leadership, administrative, and shared governance experience by serving in key positions such as Graduate Program Coordinator, Interim Department Head, and Chair of the Faculty Committee of University Faculty Council. Prior to joining OSU, he earned his BS in Biology from Duke University, his PhD in Biology from Virginia Tech, and was an NIH Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Neuroscience Program at Michigan State University. Dr. Lovern is a collaborative, engaged, and compassionate leader who enjoys creating positive partnerships and promoting student, faculty, and staff success. His areas of emphasis and impact include: reducing barriers to student access and facilitating progress to degree completion; advocating for and ensuring representation of graduate students across campus; working with and advising the Graduate and Professional Student Government Association; promoting growth in graduate education; maximizing operational efficiencies for improved outcomes; and fostering excellence in mentoring to strengthen graduate student, faculty, and program success. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
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Dear MSU Community, I am pleased to announce the launch of a national search for next visionary leader of graduate education and the Graduate School at MSU. We have formed a search committee with individuals whose backgrounds and collaborative approaches will help us identify the most qualified candidates. Dean Adams, dean of the College of Arts and Architecture, will chair the search committee. Julie Heard in the Office of Academic Affairs will provide administrative support. The committee members, in alphabetical order, are:
Finalists for the position will be invited for campus interviews and public forums during the spring semester, and I anticipate our new leader of graduate education will start July 1, 2026. Throughout the search process, the committee chair will provide updates with more specific timelines and milestones. The search for our next leader of graduate education is an important endeavor for the future of our university. I encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas for this position with members of the search committee so that they may incorporate your suggestions into the process. Please join me in thanking these individuals for their willingness to serve in this important undertaking. Sincerely, Dr. Robert L. Mokwa | Executive Vice President and Provost Montana State University Tel. 406-994-4371 |
