UNC board names Illinois educator as App State chancellor

Sheri Noren Everts, 55, has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Illinois State University since 2008. She will assume her new duties July 1, succeeding Kenneth E. Peacock, who announced last April that he would step down this year after a decade leading Appalachian State.

"Sheri Noren Everts brings to the task two decades of academic and leadership experience at highly respected public universities," UNC President Tom Ross said in nominating her for the post.

"At each step along the way, she has proven herself to be an energetic and effective leader who encourages creative problem-solving, promotes collaboration and inclusiveness and demonstrates a passionate commitment to academic excellence and student success," Ross said. "She has also earned a reputation for great integrity, sound judgment and a strong commitment to community engagement, outreach and partnership.”

Noren Everts has been credited with improving graduation and retention rates at Illinois State while increasing the racial diversity of its student body, faculty and staff. She helped lead the development of the campus’ five-year strategic plan, a financial sustainability initiative and the development of a new physical campus master plan. Under her leadership, support for online learning and classroom technology has expanded, and external funding for faculty research has increased by nearly 45 percent, from $18 million to nearly $26 million.

A Nebraska native who attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse, Noren Everts earned bachelor's master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Before moving to Illinois State, she rose through the ranks at the University of Nebraska at Omaha over 12 years from an assistant professor of education to interim senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.