Dr. Conor Kelly, associate professor of theology in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, has been named associate vice provost for faculty affairs, announced Dr. Sarah Feldner, acting provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. He will begin in his new position Tuesday, July 15.
“I am excited to join the Provost’s Office in this new role, with the goal of promoting the full flourishing of all our faculty and the success of each faculty member,” Kelly said. “I am grateful to have a strong foundation to build upon, thanks to the vision of Dr. Gary Meyer, who served as senior vice provost for faculty affairs, and the dedicated work of Dr. John Su, who shepherded the Office of Faculty Affairs this past year. I believe the well-being and success of our faculty is vital for our efforts to fulfill our mission, and I look forward to collaborating with colleagues across campus to advance faculty excellence at Marquette.”
Kelly has served in multiple leadership roles in his 10 years at Marquette, including interim chair of the Department of Theology (2021-24) and director of the Marquette Core Curriculum (2020-24).
During his time as interim chair of the Department of Theology, Kelly worked with his colleagues to facilitate eight full-time hires (two tenure-track), supervised promotion/tenure cases for one full professor, three associate professors, and two participating faculty, and led a multi-year program review.
As director of the MCC, Kelly established and executed a vision for the university’s distinctive general education program that connects the Catholic, Jesuit tradition with contemporary cultural concerns. He developed processes for the assessment of the MCC’s six learning outcomes across four tiers and secured two major grants for curriculum development projects.
He was the Department of Theology’s director of undergraduate studies from 2019-21, providing leadership during the transition to a restructured undergraduate program with revised curricular requirements. He was promoted to associate professor in 2021 following six years as an assistant professor.
“Dr. Kelly has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to collaborating with faculty to drive meaningful success,” Feldner said. “Through his various leadership roles, he has shown a deep commitment to shared goals, fostering a culture of trust, innovation and academic excellence.”
Kelly’s research examines the process of moral discernment in ordinary life, with an applied ethics focus on health care, Catholic social thought, and the theology of Catholic higher education. He has published five books, including the forthcoming co-authored project, “Who Will You Become: An Ignatian Introduction to Catholic Theology.”
Kelly is a two-time graduate of the University of Notre Dame, earning a Bachelor of Arts in history and theology and a master’s in theological studies in moral theology. He received his Ph.D. from Boston College.
