Date:

June 5, 2026

To:

AU & WCL Faculty and Staff

From:

Vicky M. Wilkins, Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Subject:

Vice Provost for Career and Global Readiness

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Liz Romig as American University’s inaugural Vice Provost for Career and Global Readiness. This position combines those once held by long-serving staff members Gihan Fernando and Mark Hayes.

Since June 2025, Liz has served as Interim Assistant Vice Provost and was responsible for leading the integration of the AU Career Center and AU Abroad into a unified portfolio. She and her team have already done exceptional work in support of the university’s Meet Our Moment strategic plan implementation, and they will be instrumental in the launch of the AU Ready, Mentors Matter, and Global Pledges.

Previously, Liz was Director of Career Education and Outreach in the AU Career Center, where she supervised a team that delivered advising, programming, and targeted outreach to more than 3,600 students across four schools. During her tenure, she expanded access to career services, strengthened cross-campus collaborations, and advanced innovative approaches to student engagement. An adjunct faculty member since 2019, she has recently taught Career Exploration and Development, a course that informs the expanded career curriculum within the AU Ready initiative.

Liz first joined American University in 2009 in the Office of Merit Awards, where she directed the Early Identification Program for high-performing sophomores and advised students pursuing nationally competitive scholarships and global opportunities, including the Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, Udall, Rangel, and Gilman scholarships.

She began her career in arts administration, with positions at the Washington National Opera and the Choral Arts Society of Washington. In addition to her professional roles, she has contributed significant leadership and service to the field, including serving on the Executive Board of the National Association of Fellowships Advisors (NAFA) and as a national reviewer for programs such as Fulbright. Deeply commitment to global engagement, Liz received a Fulbright International Education Administrator grant to Japan and has participated in higher education study tours in the United Kingdom.

She earned a master’s degree in international communication and education from AU’s School of International Service and a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Dayton.

Please join me in congratulating Liz on her new role!