Holy Family University Names Dr. Bindhu Alappat Vice President for Academic Affairs

Holy Family University President Anne Prisco, Ph.D. announced the appointment of Bindhu Alappat, Ph.D. as the University’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. A seasoned academic administrator with over 15 years of experience in Catholic higher education as both a chemistry professor and an administrator, Dr. Alappat will assume her new leadership role on August 1, 2024. 

“Our national search yielded many outstanding candidates, and we are grateful for their interest in assuming this important role at Holy Family,” Prisco said. “Dr. Alappat’s academic vision, extensive experience, student-centric commitment to success, and collaborative leadership style will align with our University’s values-based mission and will be immediate assets to our efforts. We were particularly impressed with the innovation and growth that Dr. Alappat ushered in through her previous roles and her dedication to delivering high quality education that is guided by strategic decisions rooted in the Catholic mission.”

In her cabinet-level position, Dr. Alappat will oversee and coordinate the academic functions of the University including planning, development, implementation, assessment, and ongoing enhancements in the areas of structure, academic rigor, programming, policies, services, and students, faculty, and personnel. She will oversee the deans of Holy Family University’s four schools of study (Arts & Sciences; Business & Technology; Education; Nursing & Health Sciences). 

Dr. Alappat arrives in following two years as the Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts & Sciences at Saint Catherine University in Saint Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her advocacy for students, women, and STEM education has been the hallmark of her higher education career. Prior to moving to Saint Catherine University, she spent 16 years at Saint Xavier University in Chicago where she created the STEM Studio and the implementation of peer mentoring and supplemental instruction. 
Dr. Alappat is widely published and has supervised dozens of collaborative research projects for undergraduate student-faculty students. She has received several accolades, including the Teacher Scholar Award and a Mission Award, for her contributions to academic excellence and community service.

A native of India, Dr . Alappat earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, in Madras, India, and her M.S. in chemistry at Mahatma Gandhi University, in Kerala, India. She has undergraduate degrees in both chemistry and education. She did her post-doctoral research at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Maryland.