Provost Alisa J. Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Alisa J. Rosenthal is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Political Science at Randolph-Macon College. Dr. Rosenthal holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in political science and history from Beloit College, and Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in political science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Dr. Rosenthal joined the Randolph-Macon College community in 2019. During her time at RMC, she has overseen the planning for and the provisional accreditation and opening of the College’s first graduate program (Masters in Physician Assistant Studies), as well as the graduation of the College’s first Bachelors of Science in Nursing and in Engineering. In addition to overseeing the College’s COVID response, Provost Rosenthal has focused on recruitment and retention of faculty from historically marginalized groups, strategic allocation of resources, and shared governance.
Previous to RMC, Provost Rosenthal spent fifteen years as a faculty leader and administrator at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota where her roles included Associate Provost for Sciences and Education; Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Director of the Kendall Center for Engaged Learning; co-chair of the Gustavus Acts Strategic Planning process; Founding Director of the Gustavus Fellowships Office; and Professor of Political Science. She was the recipient of the College’s Edgar M. Carlson Award for Excellence in Teaching (selected by faculty) and the Swenson-Bunn Teaching Award (selected by students).
Dr. Rosenthal was named a 2016-2017 American Council on Education Fellow. As part of the Fellow experience, she spent an academic year working on strategic initiatives in the office of President Greg Hess at Wabash College.
As a political scientist, Dr. Rosenthal’s areas of specialization are constitutional law and political theory.