Winston Erevelles, an industrial engineering professor and former dean at St. Mary’s University will be the university’s next president.
He’ll assume his role in June 2024.
“I am deeply humbled by the trust and responsibility that the Board of Trustees has placed in me,” Erevelles said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with … campus community and our alumni as we write the next chapter on our journey to becoming one of the finest private universities in the Southwest.”
Erevelles will be the first president of Asian descent at the Catholic and Marianist university, which is also a nationally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, according to a news release.
Erevelles will succeed current St. Mary’s University President Thomas Mengler, who announced his retirement in February 2023 and will step down on May 31, 2024.
The search for the next president took about 10 months: In October, the university announced the nominating committee narrowed down the search to finalists, and in November, conducted finalist candidate interviews.
Mengler, who took the office in June 2012, will help Erevelles transition into his new role as the 14th president of St. Mary’s University: “This historic institution could not have found a better leader to fill the role of its next president,” Mengler said.
The board said Erevelles will need to have an inspiring vision and strategic priorities to build on the success of St. Mary’s “Defining Moment Comprehensive Campaign,” which raised $165 million and ended in 2021.
His appointment comes as the university develops a new nursing program set to launch in the fall of 2024 and the Blank Sheppard Innovation Center, a 30,000-square-foot facility for robotics, smart manufacturing, data science, machine learning and engineering design laboratories and classrooms — both initiatives that Erevelles worked on bringing to fruition, according to the release.
According to Lynda Ellis, Chair of the St. Mary’s University Board of Trustees, Erevelles’ character, personal warmth and reputation garnered enthusiasm from those involved in the national search process.
“The top choice was already serving here at St. Mary’s,” said Michael Schott, chair of the presidential nominating committee.
The next months will be used to host meet-and-greets with the St. Mary’s community, including alumni, major donors, students, faculty, staff, Marianists, or Catholic members of the religious order Society of Mary, and Marianist Educational Associates.
Erevelles most recently served as dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology at St. Mary’s from 2009 to 2021, and he is still a professor of industrial engineering on campus.
Erevelles holds a master’s and doctoral degree in manufacturing engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Bangalore University in India. In January, Erevelles will also become the President of the Board for the nonprofit Society of Manufacturing Engineers.
