Lisa M. Lundquist was named provost and University executive vice president on Monday, Jan. 5 by President Penny Elkins after serving as the senior vice provost since February 2025.
Lundquist will assume the role vacated by Elkins, who served as interim provost for 10 months before being elected president in November 2025. Over 20 years at Mercer, Lundquist has taught in the College of Pharmacy and College of Health Professions, of which she was the founding dean when the college opened in 2013.
“Together, we will continue to advance academic excellence, foster innovation and enhance collaboration,” Lundquist said in a press release. “I look forward to building on our strong foundation, keeping student success at the heart of everything we do and shaping a future aligned with Mercer’s mission.”
As Mercer’s chief academic officer, Lundquist will head Mercer’s 12 schools and colleges, as well as other entities related to student and campus operations.
The appointment is the first major move by Elkins to shape her cabinet for the future. On Monday, Elkins held a press conference in the Spearman C. Godsey Science Center, her first in her role as president, and trumpeted Mercer's capabilities as a research hub.
"Mercer University is the most uniquely impactful private research institution in the world," Elkins said, adding she remained committed to positively impacting students, deepening Mercer's academic programs and telling the "Mercer story."
In her first remarks as provost, Lundquist echoed Elkins interest in advancing Mercer's research "from the humanities, to engineering, to health sciences." The school's track record in research, she said, has led to multiple Goldwater and Fulbright scholarships, as well as Peace Corps assignments around the world.
"I look forward to working with President Elkins, our academic deans, leaders across the many units in the University, and our staff, faculty and students," Lundquist said. "Together, we will continue to advance academic excellence, foster innovation and enhance collaboration."
Gabriel Kopp '26 is double majoring in Journalism and Law and Public Policy at Mercer University. He has written for The Cluster since he started at Mercer, and currently works as Editor-in-Chief. When he isn't working on a Washington Post crossword, he enjoys going for runs around Macon and reading The New York Times or the AJC while sipping coffee.
