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Dr. Andrae Marak will serve as the next provost and executive vice president of academic affairs at �ʹڶ���. His term begins March 1, 2022.

Dr. Marak is an experienced and successful academic leader with 15 years of higher education experience. Most recently, he served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences & Graduate Studies at Governors State University.

“As we considered the outstanding finalists for the position, the search committee was impressed by Andrae’s track record as a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Dr. Kelly Wentz-Hunter, chair of the Provost Search Committee. “He will be a powerful advocate for the �ʹڶ��� community.”

Dr. Marak has managed multimillion-dollar budgets, overseen academic programs, led community outreach and increased faculty diversity. He brings a collaborative approach to leadership and is deeply committed to shared governance.

At Governors State, Dr. Marak redesigned the Dean’s Office to create new opportunities for alumni involvement, community partnerships and student employment. As the leader of the Enrollment Growth Task Force, he restructured graduate and stackable certificate programs to better serve students and the marketplace.

“Most importantly, Dr. Marak shares �ʹڶ���’s mission of equity and inclusion,” said �ʹڶ��� president Ali Malekzadeh. “I look forward to working with Dr. Marak to build �ʹڶ���’s reputation for accessibility and academic excellence.”

Like many �ʹڶ��� alumni, Dr. Marak was the first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree. He plans to work across the university to actively engage nontraditional and disadvantaged students, ensuring they have the support to complete their degrees.

“I was drawn to �ʹڶ��� by its rich history and deep commitment to students,” said Dr. Marak. “I hope to uphold this legacy by promoting public service and bringing diverse voices to the table.”

Dr. Marak earned a BA in political science from Marquette University, an MA in political science from Syracuse University, and a PhD in Latin American studies from the University of New Mexico. He is a borderlands scholar who examines transnational flows of goods and the history of indigenous peoples.