Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) President B. James Dawson recently announced that Dr. Jonathan Leo has been appointed vice president for student and enrollment services.
“Dr. Leo played an integral role in launching our medical school a decade ago and has become an important asset to the university as a whole,” Dawson said. “He is well-respected among the students, faculty and staff as well as the community, and will provide the leadership needed to meet the growth of LMU over the next decade.”
Prior to his appointment, Leo served as assistant provost for medical programs, chair of the anatomy department and professor of neuroanatomy at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM). Leo came to LMU in 2006 as the associate dean of students for LMU-DCOM and served in that capacity until 2015. During that time, applicant numbers for LMU-DCOM grew from over 2,000 for the first class, translating to 13 candidates for each seat, to over 5,000 applicants for the Class of 2020, or 20 applicants per seat. He launched the Anatomy Boot Camp program which has grown from 40 students to nearly 100. Leo also has been involved in helping create international partnerships between LMU and universities in China and Australia.
Leo received his Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Iowa and his B.A. from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Leo has written numerous textbook chapters including chapters on neurophysiology and neuropharmacology for several leading textbooks. He has also been published in numerous scientific journals. His articles have been published in the Public Library of Science, Medicine (PLoS Medicine), Issues in Science and Technology, Chronicle of Higher Education, Slate, Society, Psychological Medicine, and Developmental Brain Research and covered by numerous media outlets including WebMD, Medscape, Nature, Forbes, Slate, The Scientist and The Wall Street Journal.
Leo will draw on his over 20 years of experience in higher education in his new position at LMU. He will be a member of the President’s Cabinet and will oversee the Student and Enrollment Services division which includes undergraduate admissions, student retention, student services, financial aid and student support services.
“I have truly enjoyed being part of launching LMU’s medical school and working with our staff to grow its enrollment,” Leo said. “LMU has an extraordinary opportunity for growth in its enrollment for all programs, and I look forward to continue upholding its mission while working to grow our institution with the faculty, staff and students in my new role.”
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is located in Harrogate. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or e-mail at admissions@lmunet.edu.
