WATERBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Post University has named Don Mroz, Ph.D., as the next President of Post University. Effective July 1, Mroz, who has been at Post since 2008, will succeed Tom Samph, Ph.D., as President. Dr. Samph will continue in his leadership role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Trustees.
“I am absolutely thrilled that Don has accepted the position as the next President of Post University,” said Samph. “Under his leadership, I know Post University will continue to grow and build its reputation for leadership in providing innovative higher education opportunities to traditional campus-based students and online adult learners around the country and around the world. Don understands and fully embraces our culture, and is passionate about doing the right things for our students, our faculty and staff, our education partners, and the city of Waterbury.”
Under the leadership and direction of Dr. Samph, Mroz will work closely with the President of the Online Education Institute of Post University, Frank Mulgrew; and the rest of the University’s Executive Management Team to ensure Post delivers on the University’s strategic plan in accordance with its mission and vision.
In addition, the University has promoted a number of other senior managers to strengthen the University’s ability to grow and provide a high-quality education and exceptional student support services to its own students and those of its partner universities.
Dean of the School of Education Jane Bailey, Ed.D., has been promoted to Provost. Academic Program Manager for the Master of Education degree program Jill Buban has been promoted to Dean of the School of Education. Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D., has been promoted from Acting Dean to Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences. Director of Associate Faculty Services Donald Kelly has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources. The Associate Faculty Services group will be part of the Human Resources department. Veronica Montalvo has been promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management for the Online Education Institute of Post University.
Dr. Mroz joined Post University in 2008 as an Associate Faculty member teaching courses in the University’s new Online MBA degree program. His deep understanding of business and exceptional teaching and leadership skills led to his promotion as Director of the MBA degree program in 2009, where he helped develop an innovative, applied program that now includes concentrations in corporate innovation, entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, marketing, and project management, as well as a multidisciplinary concentration. In 2010, he was named Dean of the School of Business, and in 2011 was named University Provost and Dean of the School of Business. Last year, when the Baldrige family granted Post University permission to name its business school after Waterbury business leader and former United States Secretary of Commerce under Ronald Reagan, Malcolm Baldrige, Dr. Mroz became the first Dean of the newly named Malcolm Baldrige School of Business. In April, The Malcolm Baldrige School of Business received accreditation from the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and is home to a number of well-regarded undergraduate business programs and the second largest MBA degree program in Connecticut.
Dr. Mroz has previously taught at the University of Michigan and University of North Carolina. He received his Ph.D. from Fielding Graduate University, and earned his bachelor’s degree at Northern Michigan University and master’s degrees at Fielding and Eastern Michigan University. He also brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the business world.
Dr. Bailey, who launched the University’s online Master of Education degree program in 2009, joined Post University as Director of Graduate Education programs. She was named Dean of the School of Education in 2010, where she was instrumental in adding a number of new Master of Education degree program concentrations, as well as ensuring that Post was among the very first schools in Connecticut to be able to offer a path to the Connecticut Early Childhood Teaching Credential (ECTC) upon completion of the University’s B.S. in Child Studies degree program. She brings nearly 30 years of higher education experience to her position. Prior to joining Post, she held positions at the College of William and Mary and Christopher Newport University. She received an Ed.D. in higher education from the College of William and Mary, a Master of Education degree from San Diego State University, and a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Oneonta.
Dr. Johnson joined Post University in 2006 as an Associate Professor of Environmental Science. She was promoted in 2010 to Academic Program Manager for Environmental Science. Prior to joining the faculty at Post University, Dr. Johnson worked as a Wetland Delineator for a private consulting firm in Massachusetts and as a Soil Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Association. She holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in plant and soil sciences from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a bachelor’s degree in earth and environmental science from Lehigh University.
Jill Buban, who joined Post University in 2012 as an Academic Program Manager in the Master of Education degree program, is a Lesley University doctoral candidate in educational studies who defends her dissertation this summer. She holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from SUNY Plattsburgh and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to joining Post, she taught undergraduate and graduate classes, and worked in the Provost’s office of SUNY’s Empire State College in New York. She also taught high school for six years.
Donald Kelly, who joined Post University to build a support structure and ensure quality among the University’s growing number of Associate Faculty members, has a wide and varied background within the corporate and higher education fields. He is well-versed in human resources, bringing years of experience as a Senior Human Resource leader. He brings a broad range of expertise in training and development, talent management, and organizational development. Prior to joining Post, Kelly served as a Director of Human Resources at Lakeshore TolTest Corporation, a $1.1 billion global contracting and construction enterprise. He has worked as head of human resources and talent management for numerous organizations including Cooper-Standard Automotive, Mazda Motors, and Schlumberger. In addition, he was the Executive Director of Executive Programs for the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business. Kelly holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan.
Veronica Montalvo joined Post University in 2005 as the first Admissions Counselor in the re‐organized Accelerated Degree Program (ADP), which was designed to meet the higher education needs of working adults. She was promoted to Director of ADP Admissions in 2007, and promoted again in 2011 to Vice President of Enrollment Management for the Online Education Institute of Post University. In 2012, she became a member of the Executive Management Team. In the last seven years, she has trained and helped retain more than 300 employees, and helped grow the University’s online student population from about 100 students to nearly 16,000. She has a bachelor’s degree in communication from Eastern Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in business management from Albertus Magnus College, where she graduated as a working adult.
“I am confident that these promotions will ensure the University’s continued growth and success as Waterbury’s only residential university and as a pioneer in online higher education,” said Samph. “Our student-focused, career-driven approach to higher education has become a model for other universities looking to respond to the need for flexible learning options for today’s lifelong learners. I look forward to continuing to lead Post University as its CEO during what will no doubt be a time of tremendous growth and positive change, right here in the great city of Waterbury.”
In addition to offering quality undergraduate programs to nearly 800 traditional college students on its Main Campus in Waterbury, Post University offers undergraduate- and graduate-level accelerated degree programs in hybrid and fully online formats to nearly 16,000 Post University adult learners through the Online Education Institute (OEI) of Post University. OEI also supports other non-profit universities in extending the reach of their campus-based programs to a growing population of online adult learners.
“It’s gratifying to be a consistent source of good-paying jobs at a time when career opportunities for Connecticut residents are scarce,” added Samph. “The organizational changes announced today are further evidence of the tremendous career opportunities available at Post. I am confident that Post University will continue to add new jobs, and build Waterbury’s reputation as a hub for innovation in higher education.”
Founded in 1890, Post University is a student-focused, career-driven university committed to providing students with the knowledge, personal skills and experience required to be leaders in their chosen fields. Located in Waterbury, Conn., Post University provides a wide array of degree programs for on-campus and online students of all ages. It is known for its quality, career-driven academic programs, small classes, and competitive NCAA Division II athletics. Its more than 16,000 full- and part-time students come from the United States and abroad, and are supported by faculty whose mission is to prepare students to compete and succeed in today’s global workplace. To learn more about Post University, visit www.post.edu or call 800.345.2562.
