Dr. David Hilmey has been named provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at St. Bonaventure University, President Jeff Gingerich announced today.

A member of the St. Bonaventure faculty since 2008 in the Department of Chemistry, Hilmey has been dean of the School of Arts & Sciences since 2016. For the 2021-22 academic year, he served as acting provost when Dr. Joseph Zimmer was named acting president after the death of Dr. Dennis DePerro.

“The decision to offer Dave the position came after careful consideration of feedback from the campus community, the positive relationships he’s developed with so many people in 15 years at the university, and my own working relationship with Dave since I’ve arrived,” Dr. Gingerich said. “I’m excited to work with Dave in this role as we work together to build an even better St. Bonaventure.”

When Zimmer left in May to become provost at Robert Morris University, Gingerich named Hilmey interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. A national search to fill the position was launched in January.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity Dr. Gingerich has given me,” Hilmey said. “I look forward to serving with a steadfast commitment to our mission and values, which are fundamental to what St. Bonaventure is all about and at the core of my desire to seek this position.

“I envision a dynamic, honest, and open leadership style, one that advocates for faculty and academic staff, while also managing the overall health and well-being of our students and our institution for years to come.”

Hilmey was chair of the Department of Chemistry and director of the Honors program from 2013 to 2016, and has served on a number of university committees, including the Academic Program Evaluation Committee (APEC), which he chaired; the University Planning Commission that’s developed the last two strategic plans; and the Presidential Commission on University Mission, which he chaired. He serves on the Middle States Self-Study steering committee and co-chairs the Student Success and Retention Committee.

Hilmey has also written and received a dozen grants during his time at St. Bonaventure.

Hilmey received his bachelor’s degree from University at Buffalo (2001), his Ph.D. from Ohio State (2006) and his post-doctoral associate from Cornell (2008). A native of Western New York, Hilmey attended high school at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Kenmore.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2020, St. Bonaventure was named the #2 regional university value in New York and #3 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.