Dr. Kimo Ah Yun (KEE-mo ah YOON) was unanimously elected the 25th president of Marquette University by the Marquette Board of Trustees on Nov. 20, 2024. He had served in the dual acting president and provost roles since June 10, 2024. He joined Marquette in 2016 as dean of the Diederich College of Communication, was named acting provost in 2018 and then permanent provost and executive vice president for academic affairs in 2019. Prior to joining Marquette University, he was associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters at California State University, Sacramento, where he also served as chair of the department of communication studies, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and professor of communication studies. During his 20-year tenure at Sacramento State, he co-chaired the President’s Committee to Build Campus Unity, which programmed and executed campuswide conversations on topics such as discrimination, identity and privilege.
He has received multiple teaching and research awards from California State University, Sacramento, as well as from international, national, and regional communication affiliations.
President Ah Yun is deeply engaged in the Milwaukee community, serving on the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Seton Catholic Schools, Children’s Wisconsin, and Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM) boards of directors. He also is involved in key regional initiatives, including the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute, Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA), Near West Side Partners and the American Cancer Society’s CEOs Against Cancer Wisconsin Chapter. In addition to his local commitments, he serves on the boards of directors for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, BIG EAST Conference, and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, extending his impact to regional and national higher education leadership.
President Ah Yun earned his bachelor’s degree in communication studies from California State University, Sacramento, his master’s degree in speech from Kansas State University, and his doctorate in communication from Michigan State University.
