‘It’s not a job. It’s an adventure.’

July marked two years since Paula O’Loughlin arrived at Augsburg University to take on the role of provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs. As the university’s second-ranking officer after President Paul Pribbenow, her portfolio includes oversight of Augsburg’s academic programs, faculty, campus life, student support and retention, accreditation, and more. In two years, she has also facilitated major strategic initiatives, including a recent revision of the general education curriculum and the development of a schools-based administrative structure.

Having previously served as provost and dean of the faculty at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a senior administrator at Gustavus Adolphus College, and as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota–Morris, O’Loughlin knows that authenticity matters in leadership. And whether she’s unpacking the “rumor of the week” in her weekly campus email, coordinating an office potluck in Memorial Hall, or putting in a cameo appearance in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” it’s clear that fun matters, too. Here, O’Loughlin reflects on her journey and how she has been shaped by the Augsburg community so far.

Q: What drew you to higher education?

A: My parents were both academics, and it was the last thing I ever wanted to do. I certainly didn’t plan to be a teacher or provost—which is kind of like if the leader of the rebel forces all of a sudden runs the Death Star. But it turns out I love what I do, and I realized that you can do so much more for students as a provost. You can do a lot of good by amplifying certain strategic choices and helping more students achieve their dreams. You can also mentor faculty, which is important.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to join the “dark side” of academia (i.e., administration)?

A: The critical moment was when I went to a political science conference, and then I went to an American Association of Colleges and Universities conference. I geeked out more at the AAC&U conference than the PoliSci one. That’s when I knew I wanted to expand beyond teaching a specific discipline. There was an intellectual excitement to the academic administrative conversations. I wanted to help open up the academic systems to all students—not, for example, just the students who knew the right professors.

I see what I do in the form of a calling. It’s not a job. It’s an adventure.

Q: What brought you to Augsburg specifically?

A: The Augsburg mission—that’s what it’s all about. You can love a school’s mission, but your skills may not be able to make a difference. When I was on campus for my interview, I realized I could probably make a difference here to one extent or another. I’m trying to keep learning. Paul Pribbenow is a rock star in the higher ed world. You don’t often get to learn from a president whose values are the same as yours and has been doing this work for a long time.

I’ve always wanted to enable students to tell their own stories. A lot of schools talk about giving students opportunities, and Augsburg actually does it. That means something. The students that come to Augsburg are from communities that are often underrepresented. They may not have had the same opportunities as their peers, and I want them to. For me, that’s our mission, and our mission is embedded in a community that comes together around students, opportunities, and being authentic to who we are, both as people and as Augsburg.

Q: What’s your favorite time of the academic year?

A: Oh, that’s tough. It’s either the beginning of the year or graduation. The clapping tunnel [at opening convocation and commencement] is a pretty powerful time. I love that for the first-year students, and I also love it at the end of their college career. Being there for commencement and seeing our students’ families is a pretty special thing. The more you know students and see them succeed, the better it is. So I can’t tell you which one I like better—the start of the year or the completion. They are both filled with real happiness and possibility.

Q: How did you get involved with Augsburg’s production of ‘The Rocky Picture Horror Show’?

A: Honestly, I asked [Professor of Theater Arts] Darcey Engen ’88 if I could participate. I have zero theater background, but I just wanted to. When she found a part for me, I did it. I loved it—we were all having so much fun. How many provosts will just laugh at themselves enough to dress up and be a character? Throughout my time at Augsburg, I’ve tried to bring my authentic self, hoping that other people can find opportunities to do so in their own ways, too, especially after the pandemic.

Q: Tell us about your weekly email updates and the rumor of the week for faculty and staff.

A: To me, the weekly update is like sitting down at a table and sharing how your day went. And I write them in my own voice, which probably helps it feel like a small-town thing. The rumor piece: I understand that rumors are what higher education runs on. The rumors of the week are fun and engage people. We can be dour and serious, but we don’t have to be in every scenario. There are plastic dinosaurs and a little sandbox on the table in my office because it gives people something to do when they’re having awkward conversations. I find a lot of what I do is more fun than people realize, and I do think that joy has been a good thing for the institution.

With the weekly email, I’m mostly trying to understand our community’s emotional vibe. That’s the piece that’s hard. But if we say that people can bring their whole selves to Augsburg, that means everyone gets to bring their whole selves—even presidents and provosts.

Q: Do you have any hopes or dreams for Augsburg in this coming year?

A: That we keep being Augsburg. That we do what we do and do it well.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Top image: Provost Paula O’Loughlin at Opening Convocation, 2023 (Photo by Courtney Perry)