Newbold named provost at Goshen College

Dr. Kenneth Newbold, associate vice provost for research and scholarship at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, has been named provost at Goshen College, President James E. Brenneman announced. Dr. Newbold’s duties will begin July 1.

“I am excited to have Ken join the leadership team of Goshen College,” said Dr. Brenneman. “In a time of great challenges in higher education, Ken brings a strong track record of strategic thinking, entrepreneurial expertise, broad administrative skills, a record of success and innovative leadership to this position.”

As provost, Dr. Newbold will help run the day-to-day operations of the college, serving as chief operating officer, and will provide oversight for athletics, academic affairs, student life, finance, enrollment management and marketing, as well as long-range planning.

“I look forward to working with President Brenneman and the President’s Council, collaborating with the faculty and staff and engaging with the student body in advancing the mission of the college,” Dr. Newbold said. “I am delighted by the opportunities to serve the constituents of Goshen College as a leader and I embrace the intercultural spirit of the college in building on the strengths of the institution.”

In his current position at James Madison University, Dr. Newbold leads the institution’s sponsored research efforts. Additionally, he serves as the director of the institute for energy and environmental research and director for the institute for infrastructure and information assurance. His research interests include critical infrastructure protection, homeland security policy, intelligence analysis and higher education.

“I was drawn to this opportunity by the outstanding history of the college, and I look forward to building on this well-recognized reputation as a vision-driven institution through a focus on maintaining the mutually held values, while seeking new strategic directions,” Dr. Newbold said. “My personal faith plays an integral role in my servant-based leadership philosophy, which will guide my activities in this role.”

Dr. Newbold graduated from Bridgewater (Virginia) College in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. He completed a master of public administration degree with a concentration in higher education at JMU in 2001, and earned a Ph.D. in strategic leadership in 2014. His dissertation, “Influence of Entrepreneurship Education on Entrepreneurship Development in Post-secondary Education,” focused on the impact that education has on developing entrepreneurs.

Prior to his current position, Dr. Newbold held the role of director of research and innovation (2011-2014), where he was responsible for building collaborative interdisciplinary teams to pursue a variety of externally sponsored opportunities and facilitating research and development opportunities for faculty, staff and student researchers. He co-authored “Homeland Security: Policy, Perspectives, and Paradoxes,” (Palgrave Macmillan, May 2007). He has also held positions at Bridgewater College in student affairs and as assistant football coach.

Dr. Newbold currently lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with his wife, Tiffany, and their two daughters. “My family and I are excited about becoming active members of the Goshen community,” he said.

Lee Snyder is currently serving as interim provost at Goshen College during the 2014-15 academic year.