Nancy Brickhouse

As Baylor’s chief academic officer, Dr. Brickhouse oversees the University’s twelve colleges and schools, research enterprise, University Libraries, and centers and institutes. While at Baylor, Dr. Brickhouse has established over twenty (and counting!) Academic Challenge and Illuminate Chairs with philanthropic dollars. During this time, research expenditures have grown by more than 30% each year, and research doctorates have grown by 17%. This growth has led to Baylor receiving the highest Carnegie designation for research.

In addition to expanding the research at Baylor, Dr. Brickhouse has tripled the number of students in professional graduate programs. Her commitment to transformative undergraduate education is illustrated by her leadership in Baylor’s first strategic enrollment management (SEM) plan, which has already seen improved outcomes for students in terms of retention and timely graduation, and as co-chair of the University's strategic plan alongside the president's chief of staff. Dr. Brickhouse is a tenured professor of education and a nationally recognized scholar. 

Dr. Brickhouse previously served as provost at Saint Louis University. Prior to that, she spent 27 years in various faculty and administrative roles at the University of Delaware. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Baylor University, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She earned a master’s degree in chemistry and a doctorate in science education from Purdue University.

Dr. Brickhouse and her husband, Mark, are members of Seventh and James Baptist Church in Waco. They have two adult children, David and Elise.