STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Dr. Barry Lambert, who was recently appointed Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Retention and Persistence at Tarleton State University, is one of 30 emerging leaders recently chosen to participate in the 2025 Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA).
Offered in partnership with the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), BAPA kicked off its programming during the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) 2025 Summer Meeting for Academic and Student Affairs Leaders in July in Indianapolis, Ind.
“I’m honored to have been selected for the Becoming a Provost Academy,” said Dr. Lambert. “The opportunity to engage with academic leaders from across the country allows me to further develop the skills and insights needed to lead transformational initiatives that advance student success and academic excellence at Tarleton State.”
The BAPA program is designed for seasoned academic leaders such as deans, assistant or associate provosts and other administrators to gain a deeper understanding of the role’s responsibilities and the essential skills required to succeed, especially within today’s increasingly complex higher education landscape. A key feature of the program is its emphasis on relationship-building, providing participants with valuable opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer learning.
Since its inception in 2016, BAPA has helped elevate 135 participants to provost roles at AASCU member institutions, with 36 of them advancing further to become presidents or chancellors.
“Dr. Lambert’s 20-plus years of experience in academic leadership and student success at Tarleton State will serve him well in his new role, and his experience at BAPA further advances his understanding of one of the most important campus leadership positions,” said Dr. Diane Stearns, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Dr. Lambert has served as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Tarleton State since fall 2021, initially in an interim role before being selected for the permanent position in January 2022.
