WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) -- Wichita State has hired a new senior vice president and provost. Dr. Monica Lounsbery (Courtesy Wichita State University) Dr. Monica Lounsbery will step into the role on Jan. 5. Dr. Lounsbery is dean of the College of Health and Human Services at California State University, Long Beach. Before her time at CSULB, she held leadership roles at UNLV, including department chair, associate vice provost, and associate dean for faculty affairs in the School of Medicine. She has a bachelor's degree from Dakota Wesleyan University and a master's and PhD from the University of Nebraska. “I am truly privileged to assume the vital role of senior executive vice president and provost at Wichita State University at such a crucial time in both the university’s transformational journey and the broader landscape of higher education,” Lounsbery said in a news release. “With WSU’s comprehensive enterprise — including WSU Tech, the Innovation Campus, the creation of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, the National Institute for Aviation Research, and the National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation — Wichita State University is driving a new model of higher education that effectively responds to the many challenges facing institutions across the country, including those associated with enrollment, value and cost. I am excited to work closely with President Muma and the WSU campus community -- including deans, university leaders, faculty, staff and students -- to continue WSU’s trend-bucking trajectory to forge the future of the academy while prioritizing educational access and affordability, meeting workforce talent pipeline needs, and increasing the economic prosperity for the communities we serve.” Wichita’s airport hosts a snow rodeo “Dr. Lounsbery brings to Wichita State a blend of academic leadership and a profound commitment to innovative education,” Wichita State President Rick Muma said. “Her expertise and vision align with WSU’s focus to transform higher education in ways that fuel student success and promote community growth. As we enter this new chapter, I am confident that her leadership will continue to propel Wichita State forward, making a meaningful impact on our students, the academy, and the future of Kansas.” Lounsbery will take over the role from Dr. Shirley Lefever, who is retiring after 20 years at Wichita State. “We owe a deep debt of gratitude for Dr. Lefever's decades of visionary leadership and her steadfast commitment to Shocker Nation,” Muma says. “Her work has left an enduring legacy on our students and our community, and we are profoundly and sincerely grateful for her unwavering dedication.”