ASHLAND, Ohio – After completing a national search, President Jon Parrish Peede has appointed Mitchell Metzger, Ph.D., a longtime Ashland University faculty leader to the position of provost. Metzger, professor of psychology, will begin his new duties on July 1.

“For more than 20 years, Dr. Metzger has invested in this university community through teaching, mentorship and service, earning the respect of faculty, staff, alumni and students alike,” said Peede. “He fully grasps who we are and our values, and of critical importance, where we aspire to go. He is exceptionally well-suited to be our academic leader.”

Peede continued, “I am grateful to Dr. Gregory McBrayer for his dedicated service as interim provost and to the search committee, especially chair Dr. Carrie Keib, for their thoughtful and diligent work. I look forward to Dr. Metzger’s leadership as we continue to advance the academic experience at AU.”

Metzger, the ninth Trustees’ Distinguished Professor at AU, has been a member of the psychology department since 2003 and was department chair for more than a decade. His service to the university includes extensive committee work, such as the Undergraduate Research Creative Activity Symposium Committee, and six years as a Faculty Athletic Representative, the university’s faculty liaison to the NCAA.

“I am both humbled and honored to accept the role of provost at Ashland University. The support I’ve received from the faculty and staff and the confidence they have in me to succeed is inspiring,” said Metzger. “We have superb faculty and academic programming at AU, and I look forward to supporting our mission of providing transformative learning experiences for our students. Academics at Ashland University are strong, and it is my goal to continue that tradition of excellence.”

As a faculty member, Metzger served as an associate professor of psychology from 2003-09 and as a professor of psychology since 2009. He is an expert in cognitive psychology, the study of human mental processes, and has taught courses in experimental psychology (research methods, cognitive, learning, physiological, neuropsychology) as well as introductory level general psychology.

Metzger, who shaped the AU Department of Psychology as department chair from 2007-21, has emphasized the importance of mentorship to students throughout his career. A dozen students earned co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications with him, and he has been the faculty sponsor for more than 60 student-led presentations at local, regional and national conferences.

“Dr. Metzger is a dedicated educator and a respected faculty leader. He embodies AU’s mission and lives out our core values to the fullest,” stated Diane Bonfiglio, Ph.D., a longtime colleague of Metzger’s in the psychology department and the current president of Faculty Senate. “I am confident that his work as provost will advance Ashland University as we continue to build on our institution’s strengths.”

Metzger has received the National Society of Leadership and Success 2010 Excellence in Teaching Award, an Ohio Magazine Excellence in Education Award in 2011 and two AU Mentor Awards. He has been a three-time finalist for the Taylor Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2025, he was appointed as a Trustees’ Distinguished Professor, an honor awarded to very select faculty who have exhibited a proven record of excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.

Metzger earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in experimental psychology from Kent State University.

Ashland University is a mid-size, private university conveniently located halfway between Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Offering undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, AU puts the “Accent on the Individual” by combining strong applied academic programs with a distinguished faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.

Michelle Fay