VCU news

By Anne Buckley

Virginia Commonwealth University has appointed Gardner Campbell, Ph.D., to serve as the university’s new vice provost for learning innovation and student success.

Campbell, who previously served as the director of professional development and innovative initiatives and an associate professor of English at Virginia Tech, was named one of the “Top 50 Innovators in Education in 2012” by the Center for Digital Education and Converge Magazine. Campbell’s appointment highlights the increasingly critical role that new and emerging technologies will play at VCU. He joined VCU on Aug. 1.

“Gardner’s exceptional background in innovative teaching and learning strategies will ensure that the critical work of University College in preparing VCU students to succeed in their academic endeavors will continue and advance,” said Beverly Warren, Ed.D., Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at VCU. “Gardner has also been an acknowledged leader in the theory and practice of online teaching and education innovation in the digital age.”

Campbell will be responsible for providing leadership for programs, initiatives and centers that support the education of undergraduate students, helping to prepare them for civic engagement and careers in a 21^st-century global environment. Particular priorities include the Center for Teaching Excellence, Online@VCU, the University College and the Core Curriculum.

Before taking his position at Virginia Tech in 2011, Campbell was the director of the academy for teaching and learning at Baylor University and an associate professor of literature, media and learning in the Baylor Honors College. Campbell also served as a professor of English at the University of Mary Washington and has held various positions at the University of Richmond and the University of San Diego. Campbell received a bachelor’s degree from Wake Forrest University and earned his Ph.D. in English from the University of Virginia.

Campbell succeeds Joseph Marolla, Ph.D., the outgoing vice provost for instruction and student success, who is retiring after more than 30 years at VCU.