Dr. Carol A.
Blackshire-Belay

Interim Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Naropa University

Boulder, Colorado

Over 20 years of experience as an academic researcher, instructor, and college administrator has given Dr. Carol A. Blackshire-Belay a deep understanding of the qualities of leadership at an institution of higher learning. Dr. Blackshire-Belay has held a number of different roles at several top-tier universities in the United States and balanced a career as a teacher of undergraduate and graduate students with being a leader of professional development methodologies.

After finishing her Ph.D. studies in Germanic linguistics from Princeton University, Dr. Carol A. Blackshire-Belay went on to teach German and Germanic cultural studies as a Post-doctoral Teaching Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, and as an Assistant, Associate, and full Professor at various research universities across the United States. In addition, her background as a scholar of African and African American Studies led her to several instructional positions within university-level departments devoted to African American studies. Dr. Blackshire-Belay eventually transitioned from teaching to administration and has since held the roles of Dean, Vice Provost, and Provost.

Throughout her career as an administrator, Dr. Carol A. Blackshire-Belay provided leadership for faculty development. She worked closely with both her peers and other administrative professionals to improve faculty recruitment and retention, foster professional development, and outline strategic goals for curriculum reform. She reviewed an institution’s current standards of faculty performance and provided recommendations for improvement. Because of her experience, Dr. Carol A. Blackshire-Belay was also in charge of creating initiatives that promoted an understanding of international education with the strategic goal that students would benefit from greater understanding of global diversity and interconnectedness.

To gain knowledge and experience in a different area, Dr. Carol A. Blackshire-Belay left the academic world for the private sector and served as a consultant for Onward Education & Training, LLC, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. As a consultant, she provided expertise in modeling best practices for leadership training, professional development and assessment, and personal growth. Dr. Blackshire-Belay presently serves as Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She continues to work on a research project that examines challenges for faculty development in institutes of higher learning and suggests models for overcoming those obstacles.