Dr. Belinda McCarthy,  Provost

I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve as Missouri State’s first Provost. This institution is an exciting and energetic place, full of faculty with a commitment to teaching, research and service in fulfillment of our Public Affairs mission.

Missouri State is in renaissance. While this has always been a fertile environment for collaboration and creativity, our name change and the enthusiastic support of our alumni and friends have inspired a new conceptualization of who we are and what we can achieve as a campus and as a community. Together with faculty, staff and students we are working to sustain that which is best about Missouri State, while pursuing ways to
realize our statewide mission in a manner befitting a 21st century university. Our partnerships with the Springfield community and region have taught us much about how we can contribute to the intellectual and cultural life of Missouri and its citizens, as well as how we can contribute to economic development. Our new initiatives will broaden and deepen that agenda.

This year’s priorities expand our focus on student success, public affairs, and inclusive excellence – a concept that integrates all of our recruitment, diversity and cultural competence initiatives into a comprehensive and coherent agenda.  As we continue to promote the enhancement of strong undergraduate, graduate and professional programs and research, we look forward to increased opportunities to contribute to a strategic marketing plan, the capital campaign and finally, to begin work on a new Long Range Plan for the Higher Learning Commission.

The opportunity to represent the faculty and programs of Missouri State as Provost is a real honor. I feel especially fortunate to have assumed this position at a time when the recognition of our great tradition and history is surpassed only by the promise of what we can yet achieve.