Dr. Anand Marri
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
About
Anand R. Marri serves as the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Ball State University, a role he assumed in 2023. As the institution’s chief academic officer, he directs the overarching design, development, execution, and evaluation of all academic programs, institutional policies, and campus procedures. He works in close alignment with President Geoffrey S. Mearns to champion Ball State’s core strategic goals. He also collaborates heavily with academic deans and division executives to cultivate a thriving, forward-thinking academic enterprise.
In his executive capacity, Provost Marri commands an expansive academic infrastructure. His oversight encompasses eight distinct academic colleges, the Graduate School, University College, and the University Libraries. He also manages the Division of Online and Strategic Learning, the Sponsored Projects Administration, and a diverse network of specialized research centers and institutes. Under his administrative direction, the Office of the Provost actively empowers faculty members by enhancing curricula, refining teaching methodologies, expanding scholarship, and advancing collaborative, transdisciplinary research projects.
Elite Experience in K-12 and Higher Education Networks
Before stepping into the provostship, Dr. Marri served with distinction as the Dean of Ball State’s Teachers College, which ranks as the fifth-largest school of education in the United States. During his tenure as dean, he managed the operations of two notable public schools, including the Burris Laboratory School and the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities. Most notably, Dr. Marri directed Ball State’s historic, transformative partnership with the Muncie Community Schools. This collaborative initiative continues to serve as a premier national blueprint demonstrating how higher education networks can fundamentally revitalize public K-12 school systems.
His extensive background in educational administration includes several high-level institutional appointments. Before he arrived at Ball State, he led the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the University of Rochester. Earlier in his academic career, he dedicated 15 years to training future leaders as a core faculty member at Columbia University’s Teachers College.
Civic Engagement, Economic Research, and Scholarly Impact
Dr. Marri’s professional philosophy is driven by a deep belief in the transformational power of public education. This commitment extended into public service when he served as the Vice President and Head of Outreach and Economic Education for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In this executive role, he successfully directed the largest community, economic development, and education division within the entire Federal Reserve System.
As a highly accomplished researcher and prominent thought leader in civic and economic literacy, Dr. Marri has secured more than $12.5 million in competitive grants and institutional contracts. His funding portfolio includes major awards from the Spencer Foundation, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, the Teagle Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education, alongside state departments of education in both Indiana and New York. His scholarly insights frequently appear in top-tier educational journals, and his expert commentary has been showcased globally across mainstream media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN.
Dr. Marri earned his bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College before completing a Master of Arts in Education at Stanford University. He later received his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.