The search for a new chancellor has narrowed the candidates to a final three who have very different experiences.

Provost Kenneth Holford is one of the finalists, as are Mary Holz-Clause, chancellor of the University of Minnesota, Crookston, and Mohamed Abousalem, Vice President for Research and Innovation and the President of the Board of Directors of the San Jose State University Research Foundation.

Holford has spent most of his career at PNW’s Westville campus. He began first, as an assistant professor of Biology and gradually moved up to becoming the Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at PNW. 

Abousalem, a former entrepreneur, has worked exclusively in California. He migrated to academia in 2016, where he became the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research, and then moved into Vice President for Research and Innovation in 2019. 

Holz-Clause has worked at six universities in four states. She has worked as a Chancellor in one of the five campuses of the University of Minnesota system since 2017.

“We have three finalist candidates coming for visits,” said David Nalbone, chair of the Faculty Senate. “In Hammond on Nov. 13, 15, and 28; in Westville and West Lafayette the next day for each. We are still on pace to complete our work by the end of this month, with a decision by Purdue President Chiang expected shortly thereafter.” 

Each of the three finalists will present an open forum in the Alumni Hall in the Student Union and Library Building on the Hammond campus. There will be a Zoom option. Each forum is open to all PNW community members. Each finalist will present on the topic “Ensuring Quality and Defining Success: A Vision for PNW and Northwest Indiana”.