Timothy Chandler, the current Senior Associate Provost of Kent State University, has been named Towson’s next Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.

The announcement was sent in an email on behalf of University President Maravene Loeschke.

“Chandler will bring 30 years of experience in higher education and a collaborative leadership style, which was enthusiastically received during his campus interviews,” the release reads. “I look forward to working with him to bring Towson into its sparkling future as a national leader in higher education.

Chandler revitalized Kent State’s academic advising program, according to the statement, and created entrepreneurial opportunities for art students in the community.

Chandler is originally from England but lived in the United States for most of his life and maintains dual citizenship. Because of this, Chandler said he will encourage students to study abroad.

“I cannot tell any U.S. student that understanding other cultures and countries is not an enhancement to their education,” he said at his open forum with students and faculty prior to his selection.

At Kent State, for students that do not get into screened majors, he created alternative options, he said.

“For the nursing majors who got screened out, we started a College of Public Health, where students could do things they want to do, but it just wasn’t necessarily in their original major,” Chandler said. “We didn’t want students to feel like they’ve been cast out, and we want them to find something that better fits their skills.”

He received his Bachelor’s degree in education at Loughborough University in England, and his Ph.D. in Physical Education at Standford University.

Chandler will assume duties Jan. 14, 2013.

-Jonathan Munshaw contributed to this article