Springfield, Ohio – Wittenberg University President Michael L. Frandsen has announced that Michelle Mattson, associate vice president of academic affairs for institutional effectiveness at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, will serve as the institution’s new provost. Mattson is expected to begin her new role on or before July 1.

"Michelle brings an uncompromising passion for student learning, extensive experience in institutional effectiveness and assessment, and a thorough understanding of the importance of developing students’ sense of purpose. Feedback following her visit affirmed all these attributes and more, and I look forward to having her join the senior leadership team," Frandsen said.

Mattson, also a professor of German, previously served as the associate dean of academic affairs at Rhodes College and as the chair of the department of modern languages and literatures from 2004 to 2010. She was a double major in German and Latin and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota before earning both her master’s in German studies and her Ph.D. in German studies and humanities from Stanford University.

Mattson began her career as an assistant professor at Columbia University in 1991 before taking a position at Iowa State in 1997. She joined the faculty at Rhodes College in 2004 and became a full professor in 2011, while continuing to take on new roles and responsibilities at the college.

In her role as associate vice president of academic affairs for institutional assessment at Rhodes, Mattson has built capacity across the institution to assess signature outcomes and to serve student learning more effectively. She has also created processes to assess effectiveness of administrative units across campus, reviewed and revised assessment structures at both the department and program level and general education curriculum, and established processes to evaluate campus climate issues on an ongoing basis.

Mattson has served on numerous committees during her time at Rhodes, including the Tenure and Promotion Committee, the Faculty Governance Committee, and the Faculty Appeals Committee. Additionally, she served as the presiding officer of the faculty. She has contributed to a number of institution-wide committees, including the search for a Title IX coordinator, the Rhodes Sexual Misconduct and Advisor Response Team (SMART), the National Coalition Building Institute, the Common Table Working Group on Student Connections, and the Assessment Subcommittee for the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) on Experiential Learning. She is currently chairing the steering committee for the college’s decennial reaffirmation.

She also brings experience to the table in enrollment management, budget oversight, academic space planning, and faculty hiring. Mattson has penned three books, is widely published, and has served as editor for numerous journals and newsletters.

“I am delighted to be joining the Wittenberg University community,” Mattson said. “The level of dedication to and enthusiasm for the University resonated clearly and deeply with me in every conversation I had with members of the Wittenberg family. I look forward to investing the same level of passion and commitment as I found in all of the students, staff, and faculty whom I have met.”