President Matt Parlow has hit the ground running in his first few weeks in office, hosting an impressive series of inauguration events and recently announcing a critical appointment to his leadership team. After an extensive nationwide search, Michael Ibba, Ph.D., interim provost, will move into the permanent role of executive vice president, provost, and chief academic officer.
“Mike has consistently demonstrated his ability to elevate our innovation and results, and I am excited to see how he will take our academic and research programs to new heights in his permanent role,” noted President Matt Parlow.
During the search process and throughout his time with Chapman as dean of the Schmid College of Science and Technology and most recently as interim provost, Ibba has continually proven himself to be a strategic, mission-driven, and student-centered leader.
The search, which attracted nearly 90 candidates, was supported by a national firm and a cross-disciplinary search committee including broad representation from around the university.
“It was a privilege to lead such a thoughtful and committed search committee whose engagement and expertise shaped an exceptionally strong search process,” observed Professor of Art and search committee chair Lia Halloran.“We received a highly accomplished pool of candidates, reflecting tremendous interest in the position and the strength of Chapman’s academic community. Mike emerged as a standout leader, an accomplished academic and researcher who was enthusiastically received by our committee and by stakeholder groups across campus. I’m thrilled by his selection as provost and look forward to his continued impact on the university’s future.”
Summarizing his enthusiasm for becoming Chapman’s next provost, Ibba remarked: “This role offers the opportunity to guide academic and research agendas in a way that empowers the colleges, fosters excellence in teaching, advances world-class research and creative activity, centers students in our programs, and engages our students, faculty, and staff across the university.”
Ibba, who earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry with honors from the University of London and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Manchester, is an internationally known and award-winning microbiologist and researcher. He came to Chapman with significant R1 credentials from The Ohio State University. He served several progressively responsible positions at Ohio State starting in 2001, culminating in his roles as chair of the Department of Microbiology and associate director of the Infectious Diseases Institute.
He chose to come to Chapman – in the middle of the pandemic – because he sought to join an institution that prioritizes personalized learning and student-focused research. Here, he found both – and more.
“Chapman has been the most personally and professionally rewarding phase of my career,” Ibba pointed out. “I now seek to take on new, significant, and challenging leadership roles at the highest academic level.”
As dean, he advanced the Schmid College’s academic offerings and research footprint in meaningful ways. Among his achievements:
- The college successfully increased total student enrollments by 9% and the total number of credits taught by 18%. Total grant funding awarded for research also increased by 300% with year-over-year publication growth.
- Mike initiated the “Schmidterns” program, which provides paid summer internships for students to work in Schmid faculty labs and has an eye to professional development.
- The college launched evidence-based faculty mentor training as a requirement for faculty to participate in a new program that provides credit for mentoring undergraduate researchers. More than 150 peer–reviewed studies with Schmid undergraduate co–authors have been published since Ibba’s arrival.
- He helped to develop and launch a new doctoral program in Math, Physics, and Philosophy, leveraging his 15 years of graduate leadership experience before moving to Chapman.
Since becoming interim provost earlier this year, Ibba has already increased dialogue and collaboration, galvanized university-wide support for coordinating and deepening Chapman’s AI presence and strategy, and helped the university navigate its new Global Citizen graduation requirement.
Ibba has a big vision for guiding Chapman’s academic and research agendas to greater levels of excellence. It starts with leadership, he said. “Effective leadership depends on continuous, open engagement with students, staff, and faculty when developing and implementing strategic priorities. As provost, I will prioritize collaboratively reviewing and streamlining policies and procedures to promote cohesiveness while empowering schools, colleges, and other units to continue advancing their individual goals.”
