Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis is pleased to announce that Dr. Elizabeth McDermott has been appointed as the next provost and vice president for academic affairs.
McDermott has a distinguished record of leadership at the University of St. Francis, having served for four years as dean and interim dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. She has taught at the University of St. Francis since 2015, earning tenure and promotion as an associate professor of English in 2022.
USF President Ryan Hendrickson noted, “Dr. McDermott has an outstanding record of leadership already at the University of St. Francis. She will be an exceptional provost in fostering academic innovation, further expansion of our Honors program, and building upon our core strengths in nursing, education, business and the sciences while ensuring our Catholic and Franciscan mission.”
McDermott’s leadership record includes broad experience with accreditation, grant writing, faculty development, and oversight and administration across a range of academic programs and disciplines. She currently serves as chair of the Executive Committee of the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area Board of Directors and has a distinguished record as both a teacher and author. She received the University of St. Francis’ Distinguished Teaching Award in 2021 and is an accomplished poet, whose own poetry is informed by art and the natural world. She is the author of the poetry collection titled “Figure 1,” along with an extensive publication record which includes individual poems and prose writing appearing in journals such as Terrain.org, Southern Humanities Review, and Kenyon Review Online. An experienced literary editor, McDermott has worked with various magazines and presses, integrating editorial expertise into her teaching practice. From 2016-2022, she coordinated the St. Francis Writers’ Conference (formerly the English Language and Literatures Conference), bringing diverse professional writers to campus.
McDermott’s leadership role begins formally on August 6, 2026, upon the retirement of current Provost Dr. Beth Roth.
Pictured: Dr. Elizabeth McDermott, photographed by Kadixamayrin Mireles ’26.
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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves more than 3,200 students worldwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 54,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.
University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.
