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University of Central Oklahoma President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar recently named Charlotte Simmons, Ph.D., as the university’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
University of Central Oklahoma President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar recently named Charlotte Simmons, Ph.D., as the university’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
“Dr. Simmons has demonstrated her competence and commitment as a leader, a trusted colleague and an accomplished academician at the university,” Neuhold-Ravikumar said.
“Her years of service in the field of higher education have been marked by her tenacious work for progress and innovation. She brings faculty and administrative excellence to this critical role as the champion of our academic mission and essential partner in leadership.”
Prior to assuming the position of provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, Simmons served as the co-interim vice president for Academic Affairs. In 2015, she was appointed associate vice president for Academic Affairs, previously serving the university and the College of Mathematics and Science as tenured faculty, chairperson of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, associate dean and dean.
Simmons is a strong supporter of undergraduate research. She serves as a Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR) councilor and executive board member and has been the principal investigator for several National Science Foundation grants supporting students from underrepresented groups. She also has helped organize and host five national conferences at UCO since she arrived in 1999.
Simmons holds bachelor's degrees with highest honors in English and mathematics from Texas A&M University at Commerce, where she was recognized as a distinguished alumna. She also received a master’s in mathematics from the University of North Texas and a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Oklahoma.
Simmons is the recipient of many awards including the UCO Sigma Xi Researcher of the Year award, the provost’s Modeling the Way Award, the UCO Empowerment for Excellence Women Who Inspire Award and the Women of Achievement Award from the Raindrop Foundation Women’s Association of Oklahoma City.
For more information about Central, visit www.uco.edu.