UTEP President Heather Wilson announced Tuesday that University administrator and longtime faculty member John Wiebe, Ph.D., will be promoted to the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.
Wiebe has held the position in an interim capacity since January 2019.
“John has 21 years of experience at UTEP and helped to build the institution into a top tier research university that is arguably the best Hispanic-serving university in the country,” President Wilson said. “He is deeply committed to the students we serve and the scholarship we advance.”
Wiebe earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of Iowa, having completed his undergraduate education at Ohio Wesleyan University.
He joined the UTEP faculty in 1998 and began a program of community-engaged research on mental health and medical adherence in severe chronic illness, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. He has secured millions of dollars in external funding for research and student success initiatives. Wiebe served as the President of the Faculty Senate for two terms and became Associate Provost in 2012 and Vice Provost in 2018.
“Especially at a time of stress and uncertainty for so many, it has been inspiring to work with students, staff, faculty, chairs and deans who are joined together by a clearly defined and deeply meaningful institutional mission,” Wiebe said.
“People who work at UTEP make a real difference in the world, whether on the lives of individual students and their families or through leading innovative initiatives on campus, in the community, or around the globe. As we face the current challenge and move forward to new opportunities, I am excited to work alongside my colleagues to build upon the excellent foundation that exists here and serve the region even better in the future.”
“John’s experience, commitment and work ethic have been invaluable to UTEP,” President Wilson said. “He is well regarded by faculty and students for his expertise and calm problem-solving ability. We are fortunate to have him.”
