Minnesota State Mankato Names Brenda Flannery Interim Vice President for Student Success and Engagement
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato President Edward Inch announced today that Brenda Flannery (pictured) has been named interim vice president for student success and engagement at Minnesota State Mankato, effective Jan. 2.
Flannery is currently on special assignment to the University’s Office of the President, after serving as dean of Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Business for 12 years (2011-2023).
Flannery was appointed to the interim vice president position after current Vice President for Student Success, Analytics and Integrated Planning Lynn Akey was named chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, effective Jan. 2.
A national search for a permanent vice president for student success and engagement will be launched in the spring.
“Dr. Flannery brings a demonstrated leadership, passion and innovation for integrating partnerships, internships and other high-impact practices into the student experience,” said Inch. “Her wealth of experience and skill attracting resources, relationships and recognition will be an excellent fit for this position.”
The vice president for student success and engagement provides leadership and direction for cross-divisional coordination and integration of retention, persistence, completion and success initiatives, including the coordination of the University’s high-impact practices, advising, career development and strategic partnership opportunities.
Flannery joined Minnesota State Mankato in 1996 as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in 2003 and professor in 2010. She was director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Business from 2004-2006 and interim assistant vice president for undergraduate studies and international education from 2006-2009. Flannery served as dean of the College of Business from July 2011 through June 2023.
Flannery earned a doctorate in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and both an MBA and bachelor’s degree in business (majoring in marketing) from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,635 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 26 colleges and seven universities.
