Association for Faculty Women Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award

Office of the Provost
Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences

As vice provost for academic engagement and student achievement, Mary F. Wack has been a champion of women, undergraduate students, and underrepresented minorities by establishing programs that heighten student engagement and success. She spearheaded curriculum and programmatic changes that strive to close achievement gaps. Wack has shaped policies to boost faculty professional development, recast academic support services, has mentored others in leadership, and served as a powerful role model for women University-wide. Wack founded the Distinguished Scholarships Program, the Office of Undergraduate Research, and First-Year Programs, which have enabled thousands of students to engage in high-impact, education-enhancing activities.

For more than two decades, Wack’s vision has helped shepherd the University through leadership transitions, budget crises, accreditation reviews, policy implementations, and governmental shifts in priorities. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, she helped guide the University’s transition to remote instruction. She sits on state and regional committees focused on improving higher education outcomes.