Maryrose Flanigan Appointed a2ru Executive Director

May 20, 2019

a2ru is delighted to announce that after a national search conducted by the Executive Committee of the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) and the Office of the Provost at the University of Michigan (U-M), Maryrose Flanigan has been appointed the new a2ru Executive Director beginning June 1, 2019. Ms. Flanigan is currently the Associate Director of a2ru where she oversees many aspects of the organization, including outreach and communications with member institutions, programming, collaborating with national organizations, and general administrative oversight. She joined a2ru in 2016 after 13 years serving at the National Endowment for the Arts, most recently as Division Coordinator for Literature and Arts Education at the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as a specialist with the creative writing and translation fellowships and as program manager for Poetry Out Loud and the NEA Big Read.  She has also served as Associate Editor for the Office of Communications and Public Affairs (OCPA) at the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), in Washington, DC, and Associate Director for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP). Maryrose has an M.F.A. in poetry from American University.

The appointment was made by James Holloway, Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Interdisciplinary Academic Affairs, in consultation with a2ru leadership, based on recommendations from a search committee consisting of representatives from a2ru partner institutions, as well as U-M schools and colleges. a2ru is excited to be moving operationally into the U-M Office of the Provost as its role on campus and nationwide expands for increased effect and impact. Vice Provost Holloway is confident that Ms. Flanigan can lead this endeavor. “The University of Michigan is pleased to continue to host a2ru, and we look forward to seeing its continued growth and impact nationally under the leadership of Ms. Flanigan.” Leila Kinney, co-chair of the a2ru executive committee, added, “the Executive Committee has great confidence in Maryrose Flanigan’s leadership of a2ru as it plays an increasingly prominent role in articulating the value of arts integration in the nation’s leading research universities and creative industries of the future.” Guna Nadarajan, Dean of the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at U-M and co-chair of the search committee, has been instrumental in the growth of a2ru and is delighted with the outcome saying, “with her deep and wide-ranging understanding of the national landscape for the arts in research universities, Flanigan is uniquely positioned to lead a2ru.”

Thanks to all of the members of the search committee who provided valuable insight and input as part of this search process, led by Marvin G. Parnes who has served as interim executive director this past year. Thanks also to the staff of a2ru who have continued to work hard on behalf of this growing and evolving organization.