Dr. Ruth Provost, newly appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs at Williams Baptist University. (WBU)
WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – A Williams Baptist University alumna with more than two decades of experience on the school’s faculty has been named Vice President for Academic Affairs. Williams has announced that Dr. Ruth Provost was recently appointed VPAA and Academic Dean, effective immediately.
Provost is a 1998 graduate of Williams who also holds a Doctor of Psychology and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College. She has served on the WBU faculty since 2004, most recently as chair of the Department of Psychology and associate professor. Her leadership as accreditation coordinator has been instrumental in maintaining the university’s standing with the Higher Learning Commission, and she has represented WBU at numerous academic and professional conferences nationwide.
“Dr. Provost embodies the mission of Williams Baptist University,” said WBU President Dr. Stan Norman. “She is a Christ-centered leader whose academic excellence, spiritual maturity, and deep commitment to our students and faculty make her the ideal person to guide our academic vision. We are thrilled to welcome her to this strategic role at such a pivotal time in our university’s growth.”
“I am so honored and grateful for this opportunity,” Provost said. “I love Williams so much and am excited to serve the lord and the university in this new position, and I will endeavor every day to support and advocate for the faculty, staff and students. I am excited and honored to play a role in preparing our students to be Christ-centered leaders who will make a difference with their lifework.”
As Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Provost will oversee all aspects of academic life at WBU, including faculty development, curriculum oversight and the continued integration of faith and learning throughout the university’s academic programs.
“My personal faith in Christ is the cornerstone of my life, and in my philosophy of Christian education,” she said. “Christian education is more than teaching our students about our areas of expertise; it is also teaching and modeling what it is like to live as a Christian in a fallen world.”
Provost resides in Newport, Arkansas, and is an active member of First Baptist Church.
Williams is a private, Christian university in Walnut Ridge. WBU’s stated mission is to cultivate Christ-centered leaders who make a difference through their life work.
For more information, visit www.williamsbu.edu.