About
Maria is the Provost/Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. She has served for decades as a proud fully ranked and tenured faculty member, a former instructional academic staff member and was the longstanding program coordinator for the Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Program, one of the largest programs at the university. During these years, she also served eight years in a partial administrative reassignment to found and direct the newly created Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). She was also the co-facilitator (with Ms. Jenice Meyer) of the accreditation process with the Higher Learning Commission for three years to a successful conclusion. Maria has a deep devotion and love for the growth and development of students. She is an educator at heart and is honored to serve as an educator-administrator to support UW-Superior’s students, faculty, staff and region.
The Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs/Provost is the chief academic and operations officer of the university and reports directly to the Chancellor. The Vice Chancellor supports the university’s mission and core values, including equity, diversity, inclusion, and the liberal arts. The Vice Chancellor provides academic leadership for all the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs. Functions reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor include Dean of Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies; Center for Continuing Education; Markwood Center for Learning, innovation and collaboration in the Jim Dan Hill Library; The Link Center; Institutional Effectiveness and Sponsored Programs; Lake Superior Research Institute; Transportation and Logistics Research Center; Great Lake Maritime Research Institute; TRIO SSS, Upward Bound and McNair Scholars Programs; GEARS Program; and all academic planning and accreditation responsibilities for the university.
Maria has served as a mediator for Douglas County Court Commissioner’s Office, Assistant Professor/Lecturer/Teaching Specialist within the Department of Political Science at the University of Minnesota Duluth, had a teaching/research assistantship with the Department of Political Science at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and served as an Associate Attorney at WEIBY, MAKI, DURST, LEDIN & BICK, S.C. in Superior, WI.
Education
- 1995 – Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) – American Government with an emphasis in Constitutional Law, American National Institutions, Judicial Process and Political Theory, University of Minnesota
- 1984 – Juris Doctorate (J.D.) – University of Minnesota Law School
- 1981 – Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) – Political Science, Augustana University