Felisa Del Carmen Higgins

Dr. Felisa Preciado Higgins is the Associate Vice Provost and Dean of the John Martinson Honors College at Purdue University, a position she assumed in 2025. In addition to her leadership role at the Honors College, she serves as a clinical professor in the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business. She also holds a courtesy appointment as professor of practice in industrial engineering.

Prior to joining Purdue, Dr. Higgins was the William A. Donan Professor of Business Administration and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education at the Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University. In this capacity, she led the Office of Undergraduate Education, supporting nearly 6,000 students. Her tenure as Associate Dean began in 2017, following her role as the 2016-2017 Administrative Fellow for the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses. Dr. Higgins was recognized for her outstanding commitment to teaching and learning, receiving Penn State's George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2015 and the Smeal College of Business Fred Brand Jr. Award for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence in 2014. In June 2024, she completed her two-year term as Chair of Penn State's Administrative Council on Undergraduate Education (ACUE).

Dr. Higgins earned her Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Florida A&M University. Her professional background includes roles such as a supply chain optimization senior specialist at Kimberly-Clark Corporation, where she worked extensively with their Latin American operations, and positions in multinational companies in the automotive and apparel manufacturing industries. Dr. Higgins contributes to the field beyond academia by serving on the Academic Strategies Committee of the Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). Originally from Panama and the daughter of Ecuadorian parents, she has a rich multicultural heritage informing her global teaching and leadership perspective.

At Purdue, Dr. Higgins aims to foster a connected, engaged student body and drive innovative, interdisciplinary programs within the Honors College through strong partnerships with the disciplinary colleges. She envisions the Honors College as a center for interdisciplinarity and a laboratory for innovation and academic excellence, positioning it as a national leader in honors education.