KCU Names KU Medical Center Leader New Provost

By Will Crow

Abiodun Akinwuntan, the dean and professor in the School of Health Professions at KU Medical Center, will soon be the new provost and executive vice president for Academic, Research and Clinical Affairs at Kansas City University. Photo credit: University of Kansas Medical Center.

Posted July 20, 2026

Kansas City University and the University of Kansas Medical Center announced the appointment of Dr. Abiodun Akinwuntan as provost and executive vice president for Academic, Research and Clinical Affairs at KCU.

Akinwuntan has served as dean and professor in the School of Health Professions at KU Medical Center since 2016. During his tenure, he has increased external research funding nearly 19-fold, launched eight new academic programs and three interdisciplinary degree tracks, increased enrollment for 11 consecutive years and secured approximately $18 million in philanthropic support, according to the release.

As provost and executive vice president for Academic, Research and Clinical Affairs at KCU, Akinwuntan will now oversee strategic priorities and program innovation, advance the growth of the research enterprise, support faculty and student success and cultivate partnerships.

Akinwuntan will assume his new role on August 31.

“His collaborative leadership style, strategic vision and commitment to student success make him exceptionally well positioned to enhance our academic mission as we continue to grow the impact of KCU,” Marc Hahn, president and CEO of KCU, said in the release.

Before joining KU Medical Center, Akinwuntan served as associate dean for Research in the College of Allied Health Sciences at Augusta University for over a decade. Throughout his career, he has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, research and health professions education.