INDIANAPOLIS — Ellen Whitt has been promoted to vice president of leadership integration at Marian University. She previously served as executive director of The Exchange at Marian, a position she held since 2014.
In her new role, Whitt is responsible for establishing a culture of leadership threaded throughout curricular and co-curricular programs so that every student, faculty, and staff member will gain valuable leadership tools through academic majors, leadership programming, and a comprehensive institutional commitment to excellence in leadership development. She will work across campus to identify, measure, and support current leadership development efforts for students, faculty, and staff. She will also foster additional community-engaged learning opportunities for students, specifically directed at the near northwest neighborhood of which Marian is an anchor institution.
“I’m excited to build upon the work of The Exchange, focused on student experiential learning and professionalism, and to connect, support, and expand on leadership development efforts across all program areas,” Whitt said. “Marian University lives out its vision to ‘prepare transformative leaders for service to the world.’ My new role aims to highlight and advance the good work already underway for even greater impact.”
Prior to joining Marian, Whitt served as Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels’ deputy chief of staff followed by several public health leadership positions within his administration. Earlier, she served as a long-time member of U.S. Senator Richard Lugar’s staff and in other public service and higher education capacities in Indiana.
Whitt earned a B.A. in English and Political Science from Augustana College and J. D. from George Washington University National Law Center.
About Marian University Indianapolis
Founded in 1937,
Marian University is the only Catholic university in Indianapolis and central Indiana. In 2019, Marian is serving more than 2,400 undergraduate and 1,160 graduate students earning degrees in the arts, business, education, engineering, math, medicine, nursing, ministry, and the natural and physical sciences. The university’s high-impact, experiential curriculum is designed to provide hands-on, collaborative learning opportunities for students from 45 states and 23 nations. Marian climbed in
U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Midwestern rankings to be named #10 Most Innovative Regional University, #24 Best Value University, and #38 Best Regional University. Marian University opened its College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013, making it the first new school of medicine in the state of Indiana in 110 years. Marian’s national champion varsity athletic programs include the 2012 and 2015 NAIA Football National Championship, the 2016 and 2017 NAIA Women’s Basketball Championship, and more than 40 USA Cycling national championships.
