Uploaded August 2023 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago
About Kimberly Andrews Espy
Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D., is the 13th president of Wayne State University, and the first woman to serve in this role in the institution’s history. Previous experience and accomplishments A leader with more than 25 years of experience in higher education, President Espy previously served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she championed social and economic opportunity by promoting affordable access to a top-quality research university education. During her tenure, UTSA earned the distinction of an R1 classification by the Carnegie Foundation, was invited to join the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities and earned the Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education for its commitment to serving Hispanic students — and, by extension, all students. UTSA also was named a 2022 Degree Completion Finalist by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities in recognition of a 40% increase in awarded degrees, which marked a 12-point improvement in six-year graduation rates under her leadership. Her commitment in this area played an important role in making UTSA one of only five research universities nationwide to receive a $40 million gift from Mackenzie Scott in 2021 to advance student success to those underserved by higher education. As UTSA’s provost, Espy strived to advance social mobility through improved student learning, which she strengthened through a strong focus on the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty who are leaders in their disciplines. Under her tenure, UTSA strengthened its commitment to preparing students for success beyond graduation. In 2020, the university established the Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement to provide students with resources for career exploration and preparation. The center plays a key supporting role in UTSA’s Classroom to Career Initiative, which focuses on expanding experiential learning opportunities to ensure students graduate career ready. Espy also played a key role in UTSA’s contributions to San Antonio’s economic development. The San Pedro 1 Building, the home for UTSA’s School for Data Science, opened in 2022 and was a major university investment in the city’s downtown. For her commitment to the community and her work as an agent of change, Espy was recognized with a Women’s Leadership Award from the San Antonio Business Journal. Prior to serving as UTSA’s provost, Espy was senior vice president for research at the University of Arizona, where she increased research and development awards to record levels. She also served as vice president for research and innovation and dean of the graduate school at the University of Oregon, where she helped secure funding from the Oregon state legislature to advance economic development and value to the state. She started her academic career at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, a rural, community-oriented medical school where she taught first-year medical student neuroscience using the then-pioneering problem-based learning curriculum, which has been widely adopted across the United States. Research and professional affiliations President Espy is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Psychological Association. Her work has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2002, and she has earned more than $22 million in funding to study how young children control their attention to promote learning, academic, and health outcomes; how such skills are related to medical, environmental, or social factors; and how they, in turn, predict later school, cognitive, health, psychiatric, and life outcomes. Education A native of Cincinnati, President Espy received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Rice University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology from the University of Houston. She also completed a clinical/pediatric psychology internship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine/Bingham Child Guidance Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. She is a licensed clinical psychologist. SUBSCRIBE: https://go.wayne.edu/subscribe About Wayne State University: Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan. Wayne State University, in alliance with Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, is part of Michigan’s University Research Corridor, responsible for $19.3 billion net economic impact in Michigan in fiscal year 2019. The URC is one of the nation’s top research clusters and the engine for innovation in Michigan and the Great Lakes region, increasing economic prosperity and connecting Michigan to the world.
About Kimberly Andrews Espy
Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D., is the 13th president of Wayne State University, and the first woman to serve in this role in the institution’s history. Previous experience and accomplishments A leader with more than 25 years of experience in higher education, President Espy previously served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she championed social and economic opportunity by promoting affordable access to a top-quality research university education. During her tenure, UTSA earned the distinction of an R1 classification by the Carnegie Foundation, was invited to join the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities and earned the Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education for its commitment to serving Hispanic students — and, by extension, all students. UTSA also was named a 2022 Degree Completion Finalist by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities in recognition of a 40% increase in awarded degrees, which marked a 12-point improvement in six-year graduation rates under her leadership. Her commitment in this area played an important role in making UTSA one of only five research universities nationwide to receive a $40 million gift from Mackenzie Scott in 2021 to advance student success to those underserved by higher education. As UTSA’s provost, Espy strived to advance social mobility through improved student learning, which she strengthened through a strong focus on the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty who are leaders in their disciplines. Under her tenure, UTSA strengthened its commitment to preparing students for success beyond graduation. In 2020, the university established the Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement to provide students with resources for career exploration and preparation. The center plays a key supporting role in UTSA’s Classroom to Career Initiative, which focuses on expanding experiential learning opportunities to ensure students graduate career ready. Espy also played a key role in UTSA’s contributions to San Antonio’s economic development. The San Pedro 1 Building, the home for UTSA’s School for Data Science, opened in 2022 and was a major university investment in the city’s downtown. For her commitment to the community and her work as an agent of change, Espy was recognized with a Women’s Leadership Award from the San Antonio Business Journal. Prior to serving as UTSA’s provost, Espy was senior vice president for research at the University of Arizona, where she increased research and development awards to record levels. She also served as vice president for research and innovation and dean of the graduate school at the University of Oregon, where she helped secure funding from the Oregon state legislature to advance economic development and value to the state. She started her academic career at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, a rural, community-oriented medical school where she taught first-year medical student neuroscience using the then-pioneering problem-based learning curriculum, which has been widely adopted across the United States. Research and professional affiliations President Espy is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Psychological Association. Her work has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2002, and she has earned more than $22 million in funding to study how young children control their attention to promote learning, academic, and health outcomes; how such skills are related to medical, environmental, or social factors; and how they, in turn, predict later school, cognitive, health, psychiatric, and life outcomes. Education A native of Cincinnati, President Espy received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Rice University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology from the University of Houston. She also completed a clinical/pediatric psychology internship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine/Bingham Child Guidance Center and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. She is a licensed clinical psychologist. SUBSCRIBE: https://go.wayne.edu/subscribe About Wayne State University: Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan. Wayne State University, in alliance with Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, is part of Michigan’s University Research Corridor, responsible for $19.3 billion net economic impact in Michigan in fiscal year 2019. The URC is one of the nation’s top research clusters and the engine for innovation in Michigan and the Great Lakes region, increasing economic prosperity and connecting Michigan to the world.
