University of Missouri System President Mun Choi and the Board of Curators named Ashwani Monga the new chancellor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis on Friday.
University of Missouri President Mun Choi has named Ashwani Monga as chancellor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis, effective Jan. 1. Monga currently serves as the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer at the University System of Georgia.
“Dr. Monga is a dynamic leader with deep experience in higher education at some of the nation’s top public universities,” Choi said. “He understands the importance of increasing enrollment, graduation rates, corporate partnerships and philanthropy. His record of driving student success, strategic innovations and external partnerships, as well as his background in marketing, make Dr. Monga the right person to lead the UMSL community.”
For USG’s 382,000 students and 20,000 faculty at 25 universities, Monga has served as the top academic liaison to the chancellor and the Board of Regents. He has led USG’s academic strategy across universities, overseeing all student and faculty matters including approval of academic programs, accreditation, athletic compliance, international education, student success, faculty affairs, academic innovation, enrollment management, student affairs, library services and academic collaborations.
“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Monga to UMSL and the UM System,” said Todd Graves, chair of the UM Board of Curators. “With an established reputation for leading successful strategic initiatives across higher education, his impactful leadership and ability to balance academic excellence with strong financial stewardship will guide the university into its next era of excellence.”
“With the appointment of Dr. Monga, UMSL takes a remarkable step to advance its national and global reputation,” said Bob Blitz, vice chair of the Board of Curators. “He brings an impressive record of achievement, from engaging stakeholders and securing donor support to increasing retention rates and advancing transformative academic initiatives, distinguishing himself as an exceptional leader in higher education.”
“Dr. Monga’s ability to identify new opportunities for growth will benefit UMSL, St. Louis and Missouri for years to come,” said Curator Lyda Krewson. “He will advance important initiatives that position the university for continued success, and I’m confident he will strengthen UMSL’s impact across the St. Louis region and beyond.”
Under Monga’s leadership, USG has developed new student success initiatives and a strategic enrollment plan that resulted in record highs for enrollment, retention and degrees awarded. Additionally, he led on workforce initiatives. He embedded career-ready competencies in the core curriculum and supported the launch of high-demand academic programs as well as University of Georgia’s School of Medicine and Georgia Tech’s College of Lifetime Learning. He also has worked alongside state leaders to improve educator recruitment and retention.
“Following the completion of a thorough national search, which included numerous impressive, experienced and qualified candidates, we are excited to have chosen the next UMSL chancellor,” said Claire Schenk, co-chair of the search committee and chair of the UMSL Chancellor’s Council. “Dr. Monga joins UMSL at an exciting and transformative time. I am confident that Dr. Monga will continue the momentum that we have seen at UMSL in recent years and bring a new generation of student leaders to the growing ranks of UMSL graduates who serve the St. Louis region.”
While at USG, Monga was asked to serve a one-year assignment as interim president of the University of West Georgia. During this time, the institution experienced record high enrollments, retention and degrees awarded. Additionally, UWG’s economic impact rose 6.5% to a new record of $654 million, and the university celebrated its second-best fundraising year.
“Since joining us in 2022, Dr. Monga has never lost sight of what matters most — making sure our students, who are our No. 1 customers, get the support and education they deserve,” said Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University of Georgia System. “He’s done a great job bridging the gap between the work we do at the system office and the real, on-the-ground teaching and research our faculty deliver across our campuses every day. We’ll certainly miss his leadership here in Georgia, but the University of Missouri-St. Louis is getting a proven leader, and we wish him all the best in his new role.”
Monga is also a professor of marketing at the Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research in consumer psychology appears in top marketing journals, and he coauthored the book “Becoming a Consumer Psychologist.”
Prior to his time at USG, Monga served at Rutgers for eight years, first at Rutgers Business School as professor of marketing, department chair and vice dean for academic programs and innovations, and then as executive vice chancellor and provost at Rutgers-Newark. He also served at the University of South Carolina as associate professor of marketing, where he first earned tenure, and at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he was assistant professor of marketing.
“Working alongside leaders such as Chancellor Nancy Cantor in New Jersey and Chancellor Sonny Perdue in Georgia, I have leveraged higher education to fulfill students’ aspirations, bringing prosperity to families and communities,” said Monga. “I am now ready to lead an exceptional institution and serve the great state of Missouri. Working closely with President Mun Choi and the Board of Curators, I am committed to aligning UMSL’s excellence in education, research and innovation with the vibrancy of the St. Louis region. Anyone who wants to elevate the students of UMSL and the economy of St. Louis can count on me to be a strong partner.”
The national search was conducted in partnership with AGB Search and the University of Missouri System executive recruitment team. The university provided a transparent process that reflects the voices of UMSL faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Additional accolades for Ashwani Monga:
“Dr. Monga brings significant senior leadership and strategic experience at top academic institutions to UMSL. That experience, coupled with Dr. Monga’s relentless focus on academic excellence, student success and strong engagement with students, faculty and key stakeholders, will enable UMSL to continue to deliver significant long-term benefits to its students, the St. Louis community and region. I look forward to working with him.” — Warner Baxter, retired chairman and CEO of the Ameren Corporation and UMSL alumnus
“We are very happy to be joined by Chancellor Monga and look forward to working with him to continue growing UMSL’s connections to the St. Louis region. The Faculty Senate and Assembly will work closely with the new chancellor to continue our strong culture of shared governance.” — Erika Gibb, professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy and Statistics, UMSL Faculty Senate chair and UM System Intercampus Faculty Cabinet representative
“Staff Council was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the search for UMSL’s next chancellor. We are excited to welcome Dr. Monga and look forward to working with him as he joins the UMSL and UM System communities. We are eager to support his leadership and collaborate in advancing the university’s mission and future success.” — Jackie Wilmes, UMSL Global office manager and Staff Council chair
“On behalf of the UMSL student body, I am excited to welcome our new chancellor to the Triton community. Throughout the search process, I have been incredibly encouraged by the caliber of leadership and vision that Dr. Monga brings to UMSL. His experience, enthusiasm and commitment to the success of students are exactly the qualities that make this such an exciting moment for our university. I am inspired by his vision for what UMSL can become and his recognition of the extraordinary potential within our campus community.” — Grace Desjardins, president of the UMSL Student Government Association
“As both an alumna and president of the UMSL Alumni Association, I care deeply about the future of this university. My experience serving on the search committee gave me great confidence in Dr. Ashwani Monga’s ability to lead UMSL into its next chapter while honoring the community and legacy that make this institution special. I am excited to welcome him to the Triton family and look forward to what we will accomplish together.” — Kathleen Riddler, chair of the UMSL Alumni Association
“Having worked closely with Ashwani Monga as my provost at Rutgers University-Newark, I witnessed his collaborative, value-centered leadership in action, focusing on galvanizing the resources of the university to promote student success, innovative scholarship and community growth. I will eagerly watch as he translates his talent and commitment to elevate the University of Missouri-St. Louis and its St. Louis region ever higher.” — Nancy Cantor, president of Hunter College and former chancellor of Rutgers-Newark
