Manhattan University Announces the Appointment of Bridget Chalk, Ph.D., as Provost
Manhattan University has appointed Bridget Chalk, Ph.D., as its new provost, effective immediately. A longtime professor of English, Dr. Chalk has served the University in several academic leadership roles, including associate dean, associate provost and interim provost.
Manhattan University, the 173-year-old Lasallian Catholic institution, announced that Bridget Chalk, Ph.D., is the University’s new Provost. The position is effective immediately.
Dr. Chalk, a scholar of twentieth- and twenty-first-century British and Anglophone literature, is a long-time professor at Manhattan University, having begun her career there as an Assistant Professor of English in 2009; she became a full Professor in 2020. She then served as the Associate Dean of the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, Associate Provost, and Interim Provost in 2025.
Dr. Chalk’s scholarly work focuses on novel studies and narrative theory and extends to research in the transformative power of the liberal arts in education. She has published two books – Modernism and Mobility (2014) and Novel Schooling (2024), both with Palgrave Macmillian – along with numerous essays on modernism and the novel.
As Interim Provost, she led the creation of ARCH Innovation Exchange, a hub for cross-disciplinary, experiential, future-ready initiatives, and designed, developed, and oversaw the launch of the James Patterson Honors Program, a unique leadership and career development program for high-achieving students at the University. Additionally, she advanced faculty development, including grant and research growth, state of higher education discussion groups, and department chairs’ leadership training.
Said Frederick Bonato, Ph.D., President of Manhattan University,
“I am incredibly pleased to officially have Bridget as Manhattan University’s Provost. She is a natural leader and, through her long tenure and rise through the academic ranks at Manhattan, is understanding of faculty needs. She has a strong strategic vision, always seeking to bring innovative methods to the fore that will enhance our ability to maintain a highly capable and student-focused faculty.”
Dr. Chalk commented,
“It is a distinct honor to assume the Provost position at Manhattan University. I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow faculty members with the goal of ever-strengthening our highly-regarded student-focused teaching coupled with strong research undertakings in a university that covets the integration of the liberal arts and professional degrees.”
Dr. Chalk has served in leadership roles in national organizations such as the Modernist Studies Association and currently holds the position of President-Elect of the D.H. Lawrence Society of North America. She received her B.A. degree in English, cum laude, from Villanova University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Brandeis University.
Dr. Chalk lives with her husband and three children in Bronxville, NY.
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About Manhattan University
Founded in 1853, Manhattan University is an independent Lasallian Catholic institution located in Riverdale, NY that embraces students of all faiths, cultures, and traditions. The mission of the University is to provide a dynamic student-centered educational experience that prepares graduates for lives of personal development, professional success, civic engagement, and service to their fellow human beings. Manhattan University offers programs that integrate a broad liberal arts education coupled with a concentration in specific disciplines in the arts and sciences with professional preparation in business and engineering, ensuring graduates will excel in their chosen fields. The University consists of the Kakos School of Arts & Sciences, the O’Malley School of Business, and the School of Engineering. For further information, please visit www.manhattan.edu.