Bemidji State University will interview four finalists for its position of provost and vice president for academic and student affairs.

The finalists are:

• Dr. Michael Anderson, interim provost and vice president for academic and student affairs, Bemidji State University,
• Dr. Priscilla Romkema, dean, College of Business and Natural Sciences, Black Hills State College,
• Dr. Tony Peffer, special assistant to the president, Castleton University, and
• Dr. Christopher Cirmo, dean, College of Letters and Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Steven Point.

On-campus interviews begin March 21 and continue through March 31.

Dr. Michael Anderson

Anderson is currently the interim provost and vice president for academic and student affairs at Bemidji State, a position he has held since July 2016. Prior to that he served in several administrative and teaching capacities, most recently as vice president for academic affairs at Wayne State (Neb.) University. He also has held the positions of dean of education and counseling at New Mexico Highlands University and director of education and kinesiology at Clarke College (Iowa). Anderson served as an instructional consultant at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and was a faculty member in education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas after starting his career in education as a public school teacher and coach at Lincoln (Neb.) East High School.

Anderson earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in education from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Dr. Priscilla Romkema

Romkema is dean of the College of Business and Natural Sciences at Black Hill State University, located in Spearfish, S.D., a position she has held since 2007. She has been at Black Hills State in a variety roles. Prior to her current position, she was a member of the business faculty, director of the Center for Business and Entrepreneurship and chair of the Management and Marketing Department.

Romkema has a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music from Black Hills State and a master’s in business education and doctorate in education from the University of Wyoming.

Dr. Tony Peffer

Peffer is currently special assistant to the president at Castleton (Vt.) University, where he has served in a variety of roles. Previously, he has been Castleton’s chief academic officer, dean of undergraduate studies and associate academic dean. Prior to joining the administration at Castleton, he was a faculty member and associate dean at Ohio University Eastern, a faculty member at Lakeland College including time as chair of the Division of Social Sciences and a faculty member at Prestonsburg Community College.

Peffer earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Morehead State University, a master’s in divinity from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, a master’s degree in history from San Francisco State University and a doctorate in history from Carnegie Mellon University.

Dr. Christopher Cirmo

Cirmo is currently dean of the College of Letters and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Steven Point. He previously held several positions at State University of New York, Cortland, including chair of geological sciences and coordinator of environmental sciences, and was a member of SUNY-Cortland’s faculty. He also was a member of the faculty at Susquehanna University, Columbia-Greene Community College and Sullivan County Community College.

Cirmo has a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Utica College, a master’s degree in environmental science from Indiana University Bloomington and a doctorate in environmental science and engineering from Syracuse University.

Bemidji State University, located in northern Minnesota’s lake district, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. A member of the colleges and universities of Minnesota State, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. Bemidji State has an enrollment of more than 5,100 students and a faculty and staff of more than 550. University signature themes include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and global and multi-cultural understanding.

2017-B-L-077