After an international search, Iona University announced that Tricia Mulligan, Ph.D., will be provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs on Feb. 16. 

Mulligan received her Bachelor of Arts in political science and Spanish from the College of the Holy Cross, Master of Science in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Ph.D. in political science from George Washington University.  

She first joined Iona as an assistant professor of political science and international studies in September 2002. Mulligan then became the inaugural associate provost for strategic academic initiatives in 2015 and then the inaugural vice provost in 2021. During her time at Iona, Mulligan continued to build on Iona’s student recruitment and retention efforts, faculty support and academic growth. In 2022, Mulligan was appointed as interim provost in charge of the annual academic budget and over 400 employees.  

Additionality Mulligan has initiated several programs to support student success campuswide. In particular, she has successfully secured over $3.56 million in grants for academic and student support programs including the federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) and McNair programs. Mulligan also co-created the MOSAIC mentorship program; executed Iona’s first honors task force to reimagine the honors curriculum; created the role of the interim provost for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging; developed new undergraduate and graduate programs to help meet market and employment demands and implemented Gaels360.  

Mulligan is well respected in academia, winning several awards, including the Dr. Carol S. Russett Award from the New York State American Council on Education/Network of Women Leaders in Higher Education, the Exceptional Educator and Community Leadership Award from the Huguenot and New Rochelle Historical Association and many more. She has also served as a board member of Edmund Rice International.