The Chancellor
Dr. Paul Beran joined the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith as its chancellor on July 1, 2006. Paul and Janice Beran came to Fort Smith from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, where he served as president for five years, working closely with state and federal legislators to advance higher education in Oklahoma. In addition to his role as chancellor at UAFS, Dr. Beran is currently the chairman of the executive board of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, an organization that develops initiatives to promote, grow, and stimulate entrepreneurialism.
Committed to enhancing the region’s quality of place, Dr. Beran created the Chancellor’s Coalition for the Visual Arts. On behalf of his work to advance the academic opportunities of the African-American community, he received the Golden Hands Award from the Martin Luther King Holiday Committee in 2008. To enhance the University’s presence abroad, Dr. Beran in 2007 visited seven cities in the Pacific Rim, met with university leaders there, and delivered presentations to students, administrators, and members of the media.
Dr. Beran holds a doctorate from Texas A & M University. In 2005 he was honored with Texas A&M’s College of Education Honored Alumni Award.
