Dr. Kimo Ah Yun was unanimously elected the 25th president of Marquette University by the Marquette Board of Trustees at a special board meeting becoming the first person of color to lead Marquette and the Catholic, Jesuit university’s second lay president in its 143-year history.
“Dr. Kimo Ah Yun is a proven leader who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to Marquette University’s Catholic, Jesuit mission, vision and values,” Board Chair Todd Adams said in a press release. “As provost and acting president, he has been a leader in the university’s proactive efforts toward continuous improvement to ensure Marquette thrives for generations to come. Marquette is in a strong position in a challenging environment for higher education, and the Board of Trustees has full confidence in his ability to provide the stability necessary to lead Marquette forward to achieve our vision of being among the most innovative and accomplished Catholic, Jesuit universities in the world.”
Ah Yun has served as Marquette’s acting president since June succeeding Dr. Michael R. Lovell, who led the university as its first lay president from 2014 until his death on June 9, 2024, from sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
Ah Yun joined Marquette in 2016 as dean of the Diederich College of Communication and was named acting provost in 2018. Dr. Ah Yun earned his bachelor’s degree in communication studies from California State University, Sacramento, a master’s degree in speech from Kansas State University, and a Ph.D. in communication from Michigan State University.
“At Marquette, we take seriously our mission to serve God by serving our students. My top priority is ensuring we continue to provide a transformational education for our students so that our graduates are problem-solvers and agents of change,” President Ah Yun said. “Grounded in its Catholic, Jesuit mission, Marquette was founded on the promise of educational access, and as we approach our 150th anniversary, students remain at the heart of all that we do. I look forward to continuing to work closely with our faculty, staff, students, alumni and Milwaukee community in our continuous pursuit of excellence, faith, leadership and service.”
