PROVIDENCE – About a year after she began the same full-time position at Wheaton College, Touba Ghadessi shifted her sights to Rhode Island to lead academia at the state’s prominent arts college.
On July 10, Ghadessi began her new role as provost at the Rhode Island School of Design. As the arts college’s new chief academic officer, Ghadessi will set a vision for student learning and RISD’s academic program, the school said.
When Your Period Is Disrupting Your Life, It’s Time to Talk About It
For many women, heavy or irregular menstrual cycles are often brushed off as “normal”—something to…
Learn More
Ghadessi succeeds Anais Missakian, who had served as RISD’s provost since July 2022.
RISD says Ghadessi will create systems and policies that advance teaching and learning and faculty development when conceptions of what constitutes knowledge and how it can be shared are in meaningful flux.
Additionally, Ghadessi will lead RISD’s efforts in recruiting, retaining and diversifying faculty, RISD said.
“It is my immense privilege to be invited into an institution I have admired for years,” Ghadessi said in a statement. “Throughout my conversations at and about RISD, I witnessed passion, expertise and true dedication to student learning.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
