Dr. Karen Weddle-West

Interim Director

Phone 901.678.2889 Email kweddle@memphis.edu Office FCBE 200A Office Hours By Appointment Curriculum Vitae

 

Biography

Dr. Karen Weddle-West was named Vice President of the Division of Student Academic Success March 1, 2019, at the University of Memphis following her service as Provost (2014-2019).  She holds the distinction of being the first female and first African American to serve as Provost at the university. Her appointment to this newly established executive role reflected President M. David Rudd’s strategic vision to integrate units from Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, thereby streamlining institutional support structures and enhancing student success outcomes. Programs and offices under her leadership included: Academic Advising (Counseling) Center, Student Success Resources Center, Center for Athletic Academic Services, Office of Disability Resources for Students, Office of First-Generation Student Success/First Scholars/Opportunity Scholars, Office of Parent and Family Services, Office Educational Support Programs, TRIO, Upward Bound, the Testing Center, Veterans & Military Services, Center for Writing and Communication and Academic Coaching for Excellence (ACE). Notable accomplishments during her leadership include a 10% increase in 6-year graduation rates and a doubling of 4-year graduation rates for first-generation students, students of color, and those from low-income backgrounds over a 5-year period. Collaborating with staff in the aforementioned units, she was inducted into the PI Millionaire class of 2024, an honor awarded to principal investigators who secure $1,000,000 in research funding within a year.  She also led the initiative that resulted in the University of Memphis receiving the 2021 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award (HEED), distinguishing it as one of the nation’s top institutions for inclusion.

She was invited by the Executive Directors to serve on a SACSCOC’s committee, the APLU Urban Clusters focused on student success, APLU/PALS (Partners for Adult Learners Success) Grant, the APLU/USU Student Success Strand, and the APLU Completion Grant.  In collaboration with other colleagues, she was awarded the MLK50 Fellows Grant and created the African American Male Completion Scholarships Program featured in Newsweek magazine, starting with the recruitment of middle-school boys through post-baccalaureate studies. As Director of Diversity Initiatives, she worked with other state, regional, and professional organizations and managed millions of dollars to support student access, graduation, completion grants/scholarships, and inclusive excellence for first-generation students and students from low-income backgrounds entering undergraduate, graduate, and law school programs. The success and impact of the completion grants and scholarships for first-generation students were documented in a Newsweek article.