Macalester College Names Dr. Lisa Anderson-Levy Executive Vice President and Provost

Dr. Lisa Anderson-Levy will become the college’s Executive Vice President and Provost. She will begin her new role on July 6.

“We have an incredible opportunity to build on Macalester’s position of strength by adding Dr. Anderson-Levy to our leadership team,” said President Suzanne M. Rivera. “She will bring a record of strong leadership, academic and administrative experience, and passion for the liberal arts. Her intellect and her commitments to equity and justice in higher education will serve us well as we embark on a number of strategic initiatives.”

Dr. Anderson-Levy, proud parent of a current Mac student, joins Macalester from Beloit College where she spent the past 13 years as Professor of Anthropology. She is an experienced leader who has served in multiple administrative roles, including as a member of Beloit’s Provost Co-Management Team, as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, as Chair of the Department of Anthropology, and as an elected representative on the Board of Trustees Audit and Risk Management committee.

She served for five years as Co-Principal Investigator for two Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grants: one for Intercultural Literacy/Engagement, which sought to advance teaching, research, and advising through the lens of social identity; and the Decolonizing Pedagogy Project, which focused on reimagining the curriculum, building community, rethinking operations, and catalyzing institutional change around issues of equity and justice.

“I look forward to working with students, staff, and faculty to continue building student-centered experiences at Macalester. The vision I bring to the table is one that fosters communities of radical care–prioritizing and supporting all students’ emotional, physical, spiritual, and intellectual enrichment,” said Dr. Anderson-Levy.

Dr. Anderson-Levy graduated summa cum laude with a BA in anthropology and minors in French and women’s studies from Washington State University. She earned her PhD in anthropology from the University of Minnesota with a minor in feminist studies. She has received numerous awards for her teaching, scholarship, and leadership, including the Presidential Award for Service at Beloit College.

Her scholarly interests focus on race, class, and gender in the Caribbean and United States. Her ongoing research examines the operations of whiteness as identity, structural apparatus, and ideology. As an anthropologist, Dr. Anderson-Levy has been concerned with the difference difference makes, and she’s invested in providing students with tools to understand their worlds. She has encouraged students to apply the theoretical frameworks they have learned to their lives on campus and in their home communities. Through her advising and mentoring relationships with students, they have learned that who they are matters in the world, that the histories of identities impact contemporary contexts, and that they both benefit from and are harmed by structural relationships of power. Dr. Anderson-Levy is a sought-after consultant and public speaker in higher education, and is active in her community and professional organizations.

Dr. Anderson-Levy retired from the United States Air Force Reserve; served as President of the Beloit Board of Education; and is a partner, parent, gardener, and cat guardian.

“From an incredibly robust pool of exceptional candidates, Dr. Anderson-Levy rose to the top through a rigorous review and interview process,” said Search Committee Chair Professor Victoria Malawey. “The search committee was particularly impressed with her proven experience facilitating meaningful change for greater equity and inclusion, among many other strengths. Dr. Anderson-Levy is the kind of leader who will shepherd us with grace and grit into a new era.”

Search Committee member and Director of Center for Disability Resources Melissa Fletcher shared, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Anderson-Levy, whose approach is one of thoughtful listening and experienced leadership. Dr. Anderson-Levy outlined a vision for holistic student learning, inclusion, and the integration of academic and co-curricular experiences that will serve Macalester well.”

And Search Committee member Kareem Greaney ‘21 said, “Dr. Anderson-Levy struck me as an honest, genuine leader committed to Macalester’s values of equity and inclusion. In particular, her demonstrated commitment to transparency and student-centered leadership seems promising for future improvements to our campus. I think Dr. Anderson-Levy’s past experiences will be especially valuable during a period of time like this when meaningful change is needed.”

In addition to integrating curricular and co-curricular affairs for a more holistic approach to student development, Dr. Anderson-Levy will work closely with President Rivera to lead the Macalester community through a strategic planning process that will articulate a future vision for the college.

Dr. Anderson-Levy assumes her new role as Macalester’s current Provost, Karine Moe, completes her second term and embarks on a sabbatical year before returning to teach in the Economics department.

Both the Dean of the Faculty, whom Dr. Anderson-Levy will select from among Macalester’s current faculty, and the new Senior Student Affairs Officer, for whom a search is in progress, will report to the Provost.

Macalester College is a nationally recognized liberal arts college located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Macalester students come from every state and 98 countries for a top-ranked academic program. Our philosophy of global citizenship and collaborative learning prepares students to have an outsized impact on the world.