Michael Avaltroni, the longtime dean of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, has been named as the school’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the school announced Wednesday.
FDU President Chris Capuano applauded Avaltroni, who began his new role Jan. 1.
“Dr. Avaltroni is a well-respected and longtime colleague and leader in FDU’s academic community, bringing to the university’s top academic position an excellent record of academic achievement and program development, a comprehensive understanding of FDU’s multifaceted university operations and a wonderful reputation as a thoughtful and dynamic educator, administrator and leader,” Capuano said.
Avaltroni became the dean of FDU’s School of Pharmacy — as it was then called — as it welcomed its first class in 2012. Since then, he has presided over the extraordinary development and growth of the school as it expanded its offerings, built its enrollment, earned prominent accreditations and gained a stellar reputation.
Among his many achievements, Avaltroni oversaw several strategic planning processes, including the development of new programs in health sciences, thereby necessitating the name change for the school to accurately describe its broader scope. Recently, he led the creation of new programs in public health, physician assistant studies, occupational therapy and social work.
Avaltroni also played a pivotal role in establishing more than 250 partnerships with health care providers, corporate partners and other organizations across the state and the region.
“Fairleigh Dickinson University has been an integral part of my academic journey since my college experience,” he said. “I am proud and excited to be given this opportunity to lead the academic vision of our institution as we continue our path forward into what I believe will be a bright and encouraging future.”
Avaltroni earned his B.S. in chemistry from FDU, and then earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University.