YOUNGSTOWN — Finalists for the Youngstown State University provost seat are scheduled separately to visit open forums on three upcoming dates at Moser Hall.

In a provost search update announcement Monday, Alyson A. Gill, Ph.D., Jennifer A. Pintar, Ph.D., MPH, and Carolyn Smith Keller, Ph.D., were identified by YSU as the three finalists for the provost and vice president of Academic Affairs position with the university.

Pintar, current interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, will be the first to visit from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday in Room 2000 in Schwebel Auditorium. Gill will follow at the same time on Monday, then Smith Keller on April 30.

Alyson A. GILL

Most recently serving from 2021 to 2023 as provost for Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina, Gill holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Memphis, a Master of Arts degree in art history from the University of California-Irvine and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Trinity University.

Gill’s past administrative appointments include provost and chief academic officer, University of the Ozarks, Clarksville, Arkansas; associate provost for Instructional Innovation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and founding director, Center for Digital Initiatives, Arkansas State University.

As for academic appointments, Gill also served as a professor, associate professor and instructor of art history and history of art and architecture at Lees-McRae College, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Arkansas State University.

Gill also has been appointed to the following editorial positions: associate editor, Digital Applications in Archeology and Cultural Heritage, Elsevier Ltd., Oxford; editorial board, serving and archiving environments (SAVE), University of Virginia.

Gill’s resume presents numerous accomplishments, 15 grants and awards, and 12 publications contributed to, 31 academic presentations given, and several professional memberships and affiliations. Gill is part of the American School of Classical Studies of Athens, Greece, Appalachian College Association, Archaeological Institute of America, Council of Independent Colleges, and Omicron Delta Kappa.

In her cover letter to the university, Gill said she will focus on building toward the future; becoming a champion of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; faculty development and support; student success; and leadership path.

“As provost I have focused on building academic programs that are market-driven, building certificate programs that allow students to be even more competitive in the workforce and meet market needs, as well as launching key online graduate programs to create additional pathways for undergraduates and meeting larger regional and national demand,” Gill states in her letter. “These programs also have significantly increased enrollment in online programs, while also meeting the needs of our undergraduates — many of whom want to move seamlessly into graduate studies. I have also worked with my academic leadership team to build clear professional pathways for our students with other graduate institutions, focused on creating internship opportunities that are linked to career placement, and developed embedded certifications and micro credentials across the curriculum.”

Jennifer A. Pintar

Before being appointed interim provost and vice president for academic affairs earlier this year at YSU, Pintar had served as vice provost for academic administration and student outreach support since 2023. Additionally, Pintar was an associate provost for academic administration from 2017 to 2022.

Throughout her time with the university, Pintar also contributed to the human performance and exercise science program as an instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor and chairwoman, from 1999 to 2017.

“My tenure of over two decades at YSU has ingrained in me the ethos encapsulated by our tagline ‘Know Y,’ a principle that resonates deeply with my professional philosophy and aspirations,” Pintar states in her letter to the university. “As provost, the mission to inspire individuals, enhance futures, and enrich lives will continue to serve as the basis for making decisions to be the best YSU possible.”

Pintar received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Washington and Jefferson College of Pennsylvania in 1994. She later went on to earn her master’s in exercise physiology in 1995, Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology in 2004, and Ph.D. in exercise physiology in 2001, from the University of Pittsburgh.

Some of Pintar’s university service mentioned in her resume includes Health Care Advisory member, Health Safety Task Force member, Emergency Sick Leave Reserve Committee member, Academic Senate member, Labor Management member, University Curriculum member, Academic Standards member and Awards Committee member.

Pintar also served on the master’s thesis committee for Dublin City University, of Dublin, Ireland, from 2010 to 2011. She also was a master’s thesis committee member for YSU from 2012 to 2013.

Pintar listed 21 other academic committees, 21 grants received, 11 publications contributed to, and 15 academic presentations given throughout her career.

Her cover letter presents her interest in leadership and vision in academic administration, strategic planning and implementation, budget management and resource allocation, and a collaborative leadership style.

Pintar added, “I believe in collective achievement and would be proud to represent the outstanding faculty members at YSU who can and want to make a difference in the lives of so many within our campus and surrounding communities. My personal investment in YSU, as an administrator and a proud Penguin parent, underscores a profound and personal connection to the institution’s success.”

Carolyn Smith Keller

Smith Keller has served as an associate provost and professor of social sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville since 2022. Prior to her current appointments, Smith Keller was an assistant provost of graduate programs, assessment, teaching and distance learning from 2021 to 2022.

Other employment history listed on her resume includes assistant to associate professor of sociology with tenure at Keene State College, of Keene, New Hampshire; program coordinator of social science research methods at Keene State College; director of academic assessment at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville; and director of UW System Online Teaching and Learning Certificate Program for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Smith Keller earned her bachelor’s in international relations and social relations from Michigan State University in 2005. She then went on to receive her master’s in sociology in 2008, master’s in Slavic and Eastern European studies in 2012, and her Ph.D. in sociology in 2012 from The Ohio State University.

Also in her resume, Smith Keller added 29 academic teams, committees and service organizations she has served and currently serves on since beginning her career in academic administration. Smith Keller added that she has participated in 27 academic presentations for universities, assisted in attaining 14 grants and fellowships, and has contributed to five finished academic publications.

Her professional membership listed from 2006 included the American Sociological Association, Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education, and American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies.

In her letter to the university, Smith Keller focused on academic experience, program innovation and evaluation, enrollment planning and budget management, and faculty support and development.

Smith Keller explained, “While recent challenges have placed perhaps an undesired limelight on YSU, given the current positive financial positioning of the university, this role provides an opportunity for a provost, under President (Bill) Johnson’s leadership, to listen to and work with faculty, staff and students, building on strengths and sharing those strengths in a way that resonates with potential students and families.”

She continued, “As we navigate unprecedented changes in higher education, the opportunities at YSU offer a chance to collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and the broader Youngstown community to foster the university’s growth and sustainability, ensuring a bright future.”

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