LOYxMinerva University

Dollie Davis, Ph.D., appointed chief academic officer alongside dedicated leaders for undergraduate programs, lifelong learning, and community, culture and foundational experiences

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 10, 2026 — Minerva University has announced an expanded academic leadership structure designed to strengthen coordination across its educational programs and provide dedicated leadership for faculty affairs, community development and the global student experience.

At the center of the new structure is Dollie Davis, Ph.D., who has been appointed chief academic officer. In this role, she will set the university's academic direction, working closely with faculty and program leaders to ensure a cohesive experience for students worldwide.

For more than a decade, Davis has been central to Minerva’s growth, serving as a professor, dean of faculty and executive vice president of global learning and academic operations. She will lead the university’s new academic leadership team, which includes Melissa Yates as dean of undergraduate programs, Geneva Stein as dean of lifelong learning and Rachel Kim as dean of community, culture and foundational experiences. Each will oversee a distinct area while working closely with Minerva’s broader group of deans and academic leaders.

Minerva developed the expanded structure to bring academic and student experience leadership into closer alignment and provide greater focus across its growing portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, executive and lifelong learning programs.

Yates will lead undergraduate support and academic program operations, working closely with faculty and colleagues across the university to align efforts throughout the student journey. Stein, who has played a central role in shaping Minerva's graduate programs and cultivating a connected, global learning community, will oversee high school, graduate and executive education while collaboratively developing and scaling new programs for learners across career stages. Kim will guide the practices and programs that strengthen belonging and connection across Minerva’s student, employee, and alumni communities, spanning the Minerva journey from pre-arrival through graduation and beyond.

“Minerva has always been defined by its willingness to rethink what education can and should accomplish,” Davis said. “I am honored to work alongside Melissa, Geneva, Rachel and our colleagues across the university as we build on that foundation, strengthen connections across our programs and community, and create meaningful opportunities for learners at every stage of their lives.”

About Minerva University

Minerva University is redefining global higher education through a bold, outcomes-focused model designed to empower the next generation of leaders, thinkers and changemakers. Headquartered in San Francisco, Minerva offers an intensive undergraduate experience that combines rigorous academics, real-world engagement and a global rotation that immerses students in diverse cultural and professional contexts.

Minerva’s interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creative problem-solving, effective communication and global collaboration. Through fully active, discussion-based seminars and applied learning projects in major cities around the world, students develop the habits of mind and practical skills needed to address the most pressing challenges of our time.

The university has built a vibrant international student body representing more than 100 nations, and graduates have gone on to launch high-impact startups, lead civic initiatives, earn Rhodes, Schwarzman and Knight-Hennessy scholarships, and pursue graduate study at institutions such as Oxford, Harvard and Stanford.

Minerva also offers graduate and executive education programs that equip working professionals with the tools to drive innovation and impact throughout their careers.

Ranked the No. 1 Most Innovative University for five consecutive years by the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI), Minerva is pioneering a scalable, equitable and transformative model of higher education for the 21st century.

For media inquiries, contact:

Minerva University

pr@minerva.edu

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