Norma Bouchard

Norma Bouchard, Ph.D., joined Chapman University as Executive Vice President, Provost and Chief Academic Officer in summer 2021. As the university’s Chief Academic Officer, she leads Chapman’s commitment to programmatic, pedagogical and research excellence and innovation across the undergraduate and graduate programs. She ensures that Chapman’s greatest priority is the personalized and holistic education of students to develop leaders and global citizens with the skills, competencies and dispositions needed to make a positive impact on society.

Dr. Bouchard came to Chapman from Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Global Studies (2019-2021). Previously, she was Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at San Diego State University (2015-2019), and Program Director, Department Head and Associate Dean at the flagship campus of the University of Connecticut (1998-2015).

Dr. Bouchard holds a laurea in French and German literatures from the University of Turin, Italy, as well as an MA and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Indiana University-Bloomington. Her publications, which include 11 books, 80 peer-reviewed articles and 60+ shorter publications, range widely over 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century European and diasporic trans-Mediterranean and trans-Atlantic cultures. Her research examines the intersection of literature and the arts, history, social sciences, philosophy, critical theory and aesthetics. She has directed scores of Ph.D. dissertations and delivered numerous keynote addresses both nationally and internationally. She has held major offices in national professional organizations and serves on several editorial boards.