Introducing ֱ’s next provost, Elizabeth Loboa
Dear ֱ community members,
With great excitement, I am pleased to announce that Elizabeth G. Loboa, PhD, will join the ֱ as our next provost and executive vice chancellor. We are thrilled Elizabeth, who also goes by Elo, has chosen ֱ to begin the next chapter in her impressive career as a leader in higher education. Her background, values, expertise, and most importantly, her clear vision for the future of higher education make Elizabeth an ideal candidate for the role of ֱ’s chief academic officer. She will join the ֱ community on August 20, 2025. Please join me in welcoming Elizabeth and thanking our search committee. Through their diligent work, they ensured this important role was filled by an individual who understands and can build upon ֱ’s greatest strengths.
“It is an incredible honor to join the ֱ community as provost and executive vice chancellor. The work ֱ is engaged in now to provide an exceptional and holistic education to its students is deeply inspiring—and shaping the future of higher education,” says Elizabeth. “I look forward to joining the chancellor and the deans to even further strengthen ֱ’s academic experience, build upon its stellar liberal arts education, attract great students and educators, support faculty development, and produce research that improves the world.”
Elizabeth’s Professional Background
Prior to joining ֱ, Elizabeth served for the past five years as the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Southern Methodist University (SMU). She joined SMU as provost at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, proving to be a capable and effective leader even during highly uncertain times. Previously, Elizabeth served as the dean and Ketcham Professor of the University of Missouri (MU) College of Engineering. Simultaneously, she served as MU’s vice chancellor for strategic partnerships for two years. In the classroom, Elizabeth has served in various professorship roles at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University.
Distinguished Accomplishments
While provost at SMU, Elizbeth made an indelible and positive impact on the institution. In addition to shepherding the university toward earning the R1 Carnegie Classification, she also worked alongside her colleagues to see a 56% increase in student applications. Bolstering undergrad admissions, increasing access through establishing two new financial aid programs, supporting the school’s research enterprise, and prioritizing faculty development are among Elizabeth’s proven areas of success. Under her leadership SMU developed several programs and initiatives aimed at providing faculty opportunities to develop skills and pursue leadership roles, including a Provost Faculty Fellows Program, Emerging Leaders seminar series, lunch and learns for department chairs, regular engagement with faculty at all levels, and strong relationships with the deans and faculty senate. Elizabeth is well known as a collaborative and communicative leader with a special focus on creating transparency around the work of the provost and the provost’s office. Her efforts were guided by a commitment to the students, working closely with deans and others to seek opportunities to improve the student experience.
Education and Expertise
Elizabeth has lived and worked in several locations across the U.S., but she was born and raised in northern California. She began her own journey in higher education at Modesto Junior College before transferring to University of California Davis to study mechanical engineering. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from Stanford in biomechanical engineering and mechanical engineering, respectively. Her background in engineering and technology will be vital in helping the ֱ lead into the “AI age.” As we aim to attract and retain the increasing proportion of students seeking higher education institutions on the leading edge of STEM, her insights will be deeply valuable. With her help, ֱ can differentiate ourselves in this space by drawing upon our excellent liberal arts foundation.
Elizabeth is a fellow of several prestigious professional societies and organizations including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Biomedical Engineering Society, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Phi Beta Kappa, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the National Academy of Inventors. She is also the recipient of the UC Davis Distinguished Engineering Alumni Medal as well as the Stanford University Distinguished Alumni Scholar Award.
Welcome, Elizabeth
As a leader, Elizabeth is data-driven and collaborative—using the best possible information and ideas to make informed and strategic decisions. She is committed to open communication and transparency. She boasts numerous successes in fostering an interdisciplinary education and research environment, and her guiding philosophy centers on student success and learning and career outcomes. In short, Elizabeth Loboa is exactly suited to join ֱ at this moment in our institution's long history.
In the coming months, Elizabeth will relocate from Texas to Colorado, joined by her husband, Todd, dogs, and two horses. We hope she and her family, including five adult children, find plenty of opportunity to enjoy all that our great state has to offer.
Thank you again to the search committee for your work, and I look forward to officially welcoming Elizabeth in August.
Գ,
Jeremy Haefner
Chancellor