Julie Hoff, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, has been selected to serve as the next provost for Rush University. Her selection follows a nationwide search led by a comprehensive committee. She will begin her term as provost in May 2025.
Hoff will provide insight and expertise for Rush University as it continues to grow and reaffirm its tradition of commitment to academic excellence, innovation through research and service to our communities.
A nationally recognized academic leader and clinical researcher, her work and research reflect her dedication to reshaping health care education, improving health outcomes and closing the gap on health disparities. This aligns with the university’s mission to be a leader in academics and innovation while remaining devoted to service.
“Julie Hoff’s work as an academic leader and researcher and her commitment to bettering health outcomes is tremendous addition to the Rush family,” said Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, MSHA, president and chief academic officer of Rush University and chief clinical and academic officer and senior vice president, Rush University System for Health. “Her experience of working and collaborating across disciplines makes her a perfect match to lead and help guide the three colleges that make up Rush University.”
As provost, Hoff will work with the president’s office to execute the university’s strategic plan and ensure that the research and education operating divisions thrive.
A Rush University College of Nursing graduate, Hoff will return to Rush after most recently serving as dean of the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and interim chief nurse executive for OU Health.
“I am honored to be joining Rush as the new provost for Rush University,” Hoff says. “I started in health care as a student at the College of Nursing, and the experience and values I gained here have stayed with me throughout my career. I am excited to return to the place where it all began and continue to lead Rush’s mission of providing an excellent education rooted within a commitment to service, bettering health outcomes and closing the gap on health disparities in the communities we serve.”
Before joining OU Health, Hoff worked at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the University of Arkansas Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, and Elmhurst University, where she held leadership roles including dean, director and department chair. She has led transformative institutional growth; strengthened academic infrastructure; optimized organizational processes; and advanced faculty, staff and student engagement.
Through cross-disciplinary collaboration, she has driven mission-aligned innovations that enhanced educational pathways, enriched learning environments and positioned institutions for long-term impact.
As a clinical researcher, her work in cardiovascular health promotion, risk reduction and disease prevention has made contributions to both science and clinical care. Her research portfolio includes leading and conducting clinical trials and playing a key role in the initial Clinical and Translational Science initiative at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she helped develop infrastructure to bridge research and clinical practice.
Hoff earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rush University, followed by a Master of Public Health, Master of Science, and PhD in nursing science from the University of Illinois Chicago. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in biobehavioral science at UIC, deepening her expertise in interdisciplinary health research, translational science and academic leadership.