Dr. Marilyn Sheerer will serve as Interim Provost of the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the university announced today.

Current UNCW Provost Denise Battles is stepping down at the end of the spring semester to serve as President of the State University of New York Geneseo.

"I'm delighted that someone with the experience and leadership skills possessed by Marilyn will be joining us,” commented UNCW Chancellor William A. Sederburg. “She will be a great asset to UNCW."

Sheerer was Provost of East Carolina University from 2007 until this past August.  Prior to that, she was dean of the ECU College of Education for eight years. Before ECU, she was a department chair at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Northern Illinois University.

“I'm very excited about serving as the Interim Provost at UNCW,” said Sheerer. “My experience as the Provost at ECU should be helpful to me as I assume this leadership position.  I have admired the work of faculty and staff at UNCW for many years and look forward to collaborative work with all campus constituents.”

Sheerer will meet with key campus leaders to assess needs and possible changes; work with the Planning, Budget and Accountability task force to advise on aligning academic budgeting with institutional budgeting practices; and provide Chancellor Sederburg with an action plan for academic affairs for the coming year.