The Graduate School has two new leadership roles joining us at the beginning of July, and we are delighted to introduce them to the UT community.
Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Enrollment Management joins the Graduate School
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the appointment of our new Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Graduate Enrollment Management, Michael Walker.
Michael joins us from Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, where he led end-to-end enrollment operations for highly competitive graduate and doctoral programs. During his tenure, his leadership contributed to a 60% increase in CRNA applications, a 400% increase in Cardiovascular Perfusion applications, and a doubling of PhD applications, along with a 50% increase in yield. In recognition of these accomplishments, he received Emory’s 2024 Excellence in Innovation Award.
As the Graduate School continues to advance its graduate enrollment efforts, Michael’s experience and leadership will be a tremendous asset. Throughout his career, he has directed graduate enrollment operations at scale, aligning admissions, financial aid, and student services to create seamless, student-centered processes. His strengths in leadership, data-informed decision-making, cross-campus collaboration, and technology-driven innovation will help position the Graduate School as a strong partner in the successful implementation of the Strategic Enrollment Plan 2030.
Please join us in welcoming Michael Walker to the Graduate School. We are excited to have him as a partner in advancing graduate enrollment management at UT.
The Graduate School welcomes Associate Dean for Professional Development and Well-Being
The Graduate School team continues to grow, and we are delighted to welcome Jessi Smith as our new Associate Dean for Professional Development and Well-Being.
Dr. Smith joins UT from California State University, Dominguez Hills, where she served as Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs and Development. She also recently completed a detail at the National Science Foundation as a program director in the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate and previously served for eight years as Vice Provost for Research at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.
In this role, Dr. Smith will work closely with faculty, directors of graduate studies, and campus partners to develop and implement programs and resources that support graduate students’ personal and professional preparation for success beyond their degree programs while also promoting holistic well-being. A social psychologist by training, her research examines how social contexts shape motivation and performance in learning and workplace environments, with particular attention to the undergraduate and graduate experience in research settings.
Dr. Smith has published nearly 90 peer-reviewed articles and is an elected Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, the American Psychological Association, and the Association for Psychological Science. She has also secured more than $11 million in external funding from the NIH and NSF, including several grants focused on professional development. Her distinguished record of leadership, research, and program development makes her exceptionally well positioned to help prepare graduate students for a wide range of career pathways while fostering a supportive and enriching graduate education environment.
Please join us in welcoming Jessi Smith to the Graduate School and Rocky Top.