Newman Welcomes New Provost Kimberly Long
Kimberly McDowell Long, Ph.D., became the new provost and vice president of Academic Affairs for Newman University, effective July 1.
Long came to Newman from the University of Mary, Bismarck, N.D., where she served as the assistant vice president of Academic Affairs since 2008. The University of Mary is a Catholic university similar in size to Newman, which was founded by an order of Benedictine Sisters as a women’s college in the late 1950s.
Long said she was looking for a university founded by sisters in the Midwest and Newman felt like a great fit.
“Newman lined up on everything I’d asked for,” she said. “I walked away [from her visit to Newman] feeling like it was a calling.”
Long said her primary goals for this year involve becoming acquainted with the culture and people of Newman University.
“There are basic things you’ve got to do in academic affairs to keep the trains running on time, and I know how to do that,” she said. “But learning the culture and getting to know the people here, that’s where I’m going to be spending a lot of my time.”
Long learned a little about campus culture during her first weeks at Newman. While her husband remained in Bismark to sell the couple’s house and prepare for the move to Wichita, Long lived in a residence hall on campus.
Finding a more permanent home in Wichita, however, was something of a challenge. The Longs need space for four horses, two Dalmatians, two cats and a parrot – not to mention a collection of vintage cars she, her husband and her father have restored over the years.
Long earned her doctorate in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from Capella University. She received her Master of Management degree and her undergraduate degree from the University of Mary.