NDSU provost named

Shari Veil, an award-winning academic leader and North Dakota native, has been named provost at NDSU. She will begin her role Jan. 5.

Veil currently serves as dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she has led strategic planning, faculty development, fundraising and major expansions in experiential learning.

She is a professor and research fellow with the National Strategic Research Institute and an internationally recognized scholar in risk and crisis communication.

Veil completed her doctorate at NDSU after receiving her bachelor’s and MBA from the University of Mary in Bismarck.

“I am honored to serve as NDSU’s next provost, and returning to my alma mater makes this new chapter especially meaningful,” Veil said. “It is a privilege to work with people who care so deeply about students, discovery and the future of North Dakota. With its strong academic profile and land-grant mission, NDSU is well positioned for meaningful impact, and I look forward to partnering with my fellow Bison to advance that work.”

At Nebraska, Veil reversed enrollment declines, strengthened faculty governance and increased external funding, including major gifts and endowed support for student success initiatives. She helped raise the college’s endowment to nearly $30 million and expanded opportunities for students through experiential learning labs and rural journalism partnerships.

Her research portfolio includes federally funded projects through the National Science Foundation, USDA, EPA and Department of Homeland Security. She has served on expert working groups for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, advising on communication strategies in public health and national security contexts.

“Dr. Veil brings extensive experience in academic leadership, research and student success initiatives,” NDSU President David Cook said in an announcement to campus. “Her story is the epitome of what we strive for — student to scholar, scholar to leader, and now leader of our academic enterprise.”

Cook thanked the campus search committee for its work and recognized outgoing Provost David Bertolini for his leadership. Bertolini will return to a faculty role following the conclusion of his appointed term.

She will serve as NDSU’s chief academic officer, overseeing the university’s academic programs, faculty affairs and student success initiatives.