Mark A. Heckler became the 18th president of Valparaiso University on July 1, 2008. He succeeded the previous president Alan Harre, who had served since 1988.
His immediately previous position was chief academic officer for the University of Colorado, Denver. He first had been Director of the School of the Arts and a professor of theatre at that University, then founding dean of its College of Arts and Media and professor of theatre, film, and television, then acting chancellor, and finally, provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, appoint to that role in 2003. He also was coordinator of their International College in Beijing, China from 1996 to 1998.
Prior to U.C. Denver, he had been at Siena College in Loudonville, New York as professor of fine arts and director of theatre.
He has been president of the major professional association in his field, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education,[1][2][3]