Villanova appoints its first provost

Villanova University on Tuesday appointed its first provost, Patrick G. Maggitti, who currently serves as dean of the business school.

Maggitti will take over on Aug. 1 as the university's chief academic officer and second-in-command of the Main Line Catholic university, which enrolls more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

His selection follows a national search to fill the new position; in the past, the university had a vice president for academic affairs, whose responsibilities were not as vast.

"We sought a visionary, integrative thinker with strong academic values dedicated to collaboration, teaching, service and scholarly research activities for our first Provost," the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, president of Villanova, said in a statement. "Dr. Maggitti possesses all these qualities and is also intimately familiar with Villanova University and our Augustinian mission. He has distinguished himself as a leader who will provide energetic, intellectual leadership to Villanova's academic community, and I am very much looking forward to working with him in this new role."

Maggitti, an entrepreneur who founded two companies, has been a member of the university's business faculty since 2008 and has served as dean since 2012. He is an associate professor of strategic management and entrepreneurship and the founder and former director of the Center for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship.

As provost, he will help to guide the university's planning and vision and oversee its six colleges — the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University School of Law — as well as other academic areas.

Maggitti has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from St. Joseph's University, an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in strategic management from the University of Maryland.

"I am honored to serve as Villanova's first Provost and have the opportunity to collaborate with my academic colleagues to foster creative and innovative approaches to enhance Villanova's educational offerings, our research productivity and our intellectual climate," Maggitti said in a statement. "I consider myself fortunate to serve among such a strong, talented group of faculty, staff, and students and I am excited to have this opportunity to work together to build and achieve even greater academic success for our institution."