Knox Announces New Provost & Dean of the Faculty

Knox College announced today that Professor Melissa J. Glenn will join the Knox community as provost and dean of the faculty on July 1, 2025. She will also be a tenured professor in the Department of Psychology. Glenn comes to Knox from Colby College, where she has served as the associate provost for academic programs since 2021, and as professor in the psychology department since 2007.

“Melissa’s passion for liberal arts education and her dedication to the academic enterprise, whether as a faculty member or as an administrator, was evident from her first meeting with the Search Committee,” said Knox College President C. Andrew McGadney. “Throughout her academic career, she has pursued excellence in teaching and research, while also developing an outstanding track record of leadership, innovation, and collaboration. Her dedication to student and faculty success and extensive experience supporting Colby’s faculty, working across the college to tackle challenges and build new programs, and enduring commitment to student success make her an ideal choice to help make Knox an even better institution than it is today. “

A first-generation college student, Glenn received her bachelor of science degree in psychology from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1994, and her master’s and doctorate degrees in experimental psychology from Concordia University in 1997 and 2003, respectively. From 2003 until 2007, she held a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University, during which she studied the neural and behavioral mechanisms mediating a lifelong enhancement in cognition, work funded by the National Institute on Aging. Glenn joined the psychology department at Colby College in August 2007, receiving tenure in 2014. While at Colby, she continued her study of brain and behavior, focusing on  the role of early life nutrition on disease outcomes later in life, including in depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease, and establishing The Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, where she worked with undergraduate student researchers in the pursuit of original research.

As a faculty member, she held a variety of leadership roles, including chair of the Department of Psychology and of the Division of Social Sciences, and served on several college committees, including the Committee on Promotion and Tenure and the Faculty Steering Committee. During her time as associate provost, Glenn was dedicated to cultivating talented faculty passionate about student success and oversaw numerous areas and programs at Colby, including the college’s curricular and academic mission, liberal arts advising, faculty committee elections, research assistant programs, faculty course evaluations, the January Plan exploratory program, including global experiences, and academic centers and labs. 

“I have bumped and banged my way through the academy as a first-generation college student turned faculty member turned academic leader,” Glenn shared during the interview process. “I am unwavering in my commitment to excellence in all realms and am confident that my leadership style and extensive background in serving all areas of the college aligns with what Knox needs. I am honored to serve as Knox’s next provost and eager to help shape the vision for the College’s future.”

In her role at Knox, Glenn will serve as chief academic officer, responsible for overseeing all academic affairs and operations of the College. As a key member of the leadership team, she will direct long-range strategic planning, including the implementation, review, and assessment of academic program; lead the recruitment and development of faculty; manage the academic affairs staff; coordinate and monitor all academic budgets; and ensure that the College meets or exceeds its educational mission and accreditation standards. 

She will be joined by her family—husband Owen and daughter Alexa, a sophomore at Smith College—in Galesburg.

Lionel Anderson of JM Search partnered with an internal search committee made up of trustees, faculty, student, and staff members to deliver this terrific outcome for the College.