Roger Williams University Names Alyson Gill Next Associate Provost for Academic Affairs
Higher education leader brings extensive experience in academic administration, faculty scholarship, and international partnerships.
BRISTOL, R.I. – Roger Williams University has appointed Alyson Gill, Ph.D., as its next Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, effective Jan. 1, 2027. Gill brings experience in academic leadership, instructional innovation, and faculty development to the role.
Gill joins RWU from Athens State University in Alabama, where she served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Services. Previously, she served as provost at Lees-McRae College and the University of the Ozarks, and as Associate Provost for Instructional Innovation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
She began her academic career as a faculty member in art history at Arkansas State University, where she founded the Center for Digital Initiatives. Gill holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Memphis, and an M.A. in art history from the University of California, Irvine.
During her career, Gill has developed programs to help faculty strengthen their teaching and scholarship. At UMass Amherst, she established an interdisciplinary faculty innovation program, while at Athens State she created The Academy, an intensive program focused on course design and effective teaching practices. She has also secured multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and worked with faculty on research initiatives and external funding.
At RWU, Gill will oversee initiatives supporting faculty professional development, including learning communities, new faculty orientation, and leadership programming. She will also work with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to expand opportunities for faculty and student scholarship, and contribute to academic program development, accreditation, and university strategic initiatives.
“I am especially excited about the experience, creativity, and collaborative approach Dr. Gill will bring to our efforts to support faculty as teachers and scholars,” said Margaret Everett, RWU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Our faculty are at the heart of RWU's academic mission. Investing in their professional growth and supporting their intellectual and creative work are essential to our continued success. Dr. Gill is exceptionally well suited to help us advance these priorities.”
“I’m thrilled and deeply grateful to be joining the RWU community,” said Gill. “Our faculty are at the heart of everything the University does, and I’m honored to help lead initiatives that support them. I’m looking forward to the conversations, the collaborations, and building on RWU’s remarkable strengths together.”
Gill will also coordinate academic oversight of RWU's international partnerships, including its new partnership with the American University of Greece. She brings firsthand experience to the role, having lived, studied, taught, and conducted research in Greece as a Fulbright Scholar. She speaks Modern Greek and has extensive experience developing international academic partnerships.