Dear Roosevelt Community,
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Andrae Marak will serve as the next provost and executive vice president of academic affairs at Roosevelt University. His term begins March 1, 2022.
Dr. Marak is an experienced and successful academic leader with 15 years of higher education leadership 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 Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt’s mission of equity and inclusion. Like many Roosevelt alumni, he 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 look forward to working with Dr. Marak to build Roosevelt’s reputation for accessibility and academic excellence.
“I was drawn to Roosevelt University 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.
Thank you to Co-Dean Kelly Wentz-Hunter and the search committee members for managing this process expertly. I am also grateful to interim provost Mablene Krueger for stepping in when we needed her and for her outstanding service. Mablene will continue to serve as chief operating officer of the Schaumburg Campus and interim dean of students and vice president of student affairs.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Marak to the Roosevelt community.
With Warm Regards,
Ali R. Malekzadeh, Ph.D.
President