“It is a pleasure to be coming back home to Cedar Falls,” she said. “I’m eager to get to work and build on the strong foundation already in place at UNI. The warm welcome I’ve received has been incredible, and I look forward to collaborating closely with outstanding faculty, staff, and administration both in the College of Humanities, Arts, & Sciences and across the university.”

Black joins UNI from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where she has served as provost  since 2021. As a professor, she taught theatrical design and production.

Black has a proven track record of increasing enrollment, including leading an initiative to improve the transfer student experience at Millikin that ultimately led to a 25% increase in enrollment in the first year of the project. She helped implement new partnerships between the university and community colleges, high schools and international institutions. She also managed the launch of new undergraduate and graduate programs in recent years.

“We’re delighted to welcome Mary to the University of Northern Iowa,” said Provost José Herrera. “Her deep experience in higher education and fresh perspective will be invaluable as she steps into this leadership role. Mary will be a key strategic partner in advancing the College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences and supporting the continued growth of the university as a whole.”

As an active member of her community, Black looks forward to returning to Cedar Falls and getting involved not only at UNI but with the people of the Cedar Valley.

Black will begin her duties on July 1. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Technology from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of Iowa.

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