Michaele Whelan
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Ph.D. Harvard University
Michaele Whelan has served at Brandeis since 2001, first as the associate provost for academic affairs and now as vice provost for academic affairs. A humanist with more than 16 years of experience in higher education, first in academic and then administrative roles, she works with school deans, faculty, students and staff to clarify an academic vision and academic priorities for the university.
In addition, she provides academic leadership for The Rabb School of Continuing Studies, guidance for the Brandeis National Committee, the university’s philanthropic friends’ organization, and administrative and financial oversight for units reporting to the provost.
Prior to joining Brandeis, she was associate dean for academic planning and innovation in the Office of the Vice President of Arts, Sciences and Engineering at Tufts University. There she belonged to policy cabinets in the academic and administrative arenas where she engaged in academic planning and specialized in school-wide project design, development and management.
Over the past decade, she has taught in English departments and programs in American Studies and Women’s Studies at The Pennsylvania State University, Harvard University, Tufts University and Brandeis University. Her area of expertise is modern and postmodern American literature with a focus on gendered narratology. She is the recipient of teaching awards and has published in her field. She is a member of the academic honor societies Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi.
Whelan received a B.A., summa cum laude, from Cornell University, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Harvard University.