Zora Mulligan loves being MSU's No. 2 leader. Here is why she won't apply to be No. 1

The No. 2 official at Missouri State University, Zora Mulligan chalked up two major wins by the conclusion of her first year in Carrington Hall.

She was the internal point-person for the university's role in the new Alliance for Healthcare Education, which aims to address urgent workforce shortages, and led the team revamping enrollment strategies. This fall, the size of the freshman class increased by 18%.

Mulligan, who came into the job with significant state-level leadership experience, said serving as the executive vice president of MSU is a complex, challenging and rewarding role. It is one she wants to continue even after president Clif Smart retires this summer.

For that reason, and others, Mulligan will not be among the candidates vying to succeed Smart.

"I really enjoy what I'm doing. I like Springfield. This is a town I enjoy living in. It's a university whose mission I really believe in," she said.

Smart, who hired Mulligan a year ago, said she excelled in managing "lots of moving pieces" with the health education alliance. He said the work involved hundreds of meetings, drafts and conversations to work out details on a wide range of topics from curriculum to facilities.

"It was very complicated — on many levels — project that she managed to completion and did really very good work," he said.

Smart said even though Mulligan did not enter the job with expertise in enrollment strategies, she was effective at pushing the team of experts to "think differently, think bigger."

"She brought the ability to lead a project with her and lead a team and that was what we needed," he said.

"The result of that is a really good freshmen class. We're over 2,800 students, which is the biggest we've been in six or seven years."

This year, with the departure of chief of staff Ryan DeBoef, governmental relations was added to Mulligan's responsibilities. Smart noted she has experience and connections in Jefferson City.

"She had real relationships with representatives and senators and the governor's office," he said. "All of that helps her very effectively lead our legislative team internally."

"Time of enormous professional growth"

Mulligan, 46, grew up in West Plains and entered college with the goal of becoming an attorney.

She selected Drury University because the person most active in helping her navigate admissions and financial aid at the time was a recent graduate.

"She did what good admissions counselors do. She reached out persistently and helped me figure it all out. I ended up there and it was a really good experience," she said.

Mulligan graduated with high honors in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in political science and psychology. She was a Bright Flight recipient and student assistant to the dean, among other accolades.

The years at Drury spurred her to also consider a career in higher education. She enrolled at the University of Kansas to earn a master's degree in higher education administration. She stayed on the Lawrence campus long enough to also earn a juris doctor.

"I wrapped up the master's degree and then went to law school, never really imagining that the two would come together in my professional life," she said.

Her first job was working for Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon. Her duties spanned governmental affairs and the consumer and environmental protection divisions.

After four years, Mulligan became general counsel for the Missouri Department of Higher Education, where she was also the agency's legislative liaison.

"It was my first experience working with the General Assembly," she said, adding it taught her "how that process works."

She was next hired as executive director of the Missouri Community College Association. It was her first major step away from practicing law but the role still involved advocacy.

"It was a time of enormous professional growth. I went into the job not knowing a lot about community colleges. By the time I came out the other end, I was a huge believer," she said. "I made a lot of friends throughout the state and gained a lot of respect about the work they do."

"Make a difference in the lives of Missourians"

Hal Higdon, chancellor of Ozarks Technical Community College, was chair of the MCCA board at the time and urged Mulligan to apply for the job.

He said she quickly rose to the top of the huge applicant pool and made her mark on the association, strengthening its financial footing and professional development. "She developed ties in the capital that we had not had in the past and we were very sorry to see her leave."

Higdon said her leadership style is not loud or showy.

"She is not self-aggrandizing and conscious of not overshadowing the work. She tends to be shoulder-to-shoulder with the people she works with, which I appreciate," he said.

After that, Mulligan spent nearly three years as chief of staff for the University of Missouri system. In 2016, she was named the Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education.

She championed record investment in higher education, developed a strategic plan with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, collaborated with partners in the public and private sectors, and explored new ways to address workforce needs.

Her fingerprints are all over the launch or expansion of Access Missouri, a need-based financial assistance program; the Missouri College Access Network; and the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant, which helps adults access both higher education and career training.

In the state role, Mulligan helped Missouri State successfully navigate obstacles in its quest to offer more doctoral degrees.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to do things that make a difference in the lives of Missourians," she said.

"Being able to make a good higher education available to more people is the thing I'm most proud of. Increasing access to a good education is my most significant accomplishment."

Matt Morrow, president and CEO of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, has known Mulligan for years and described her as a "consensus-builder" who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo.

"She does a great job of listening to various perspectives and stakeholders and trying to factor in what can be best learned from each point of view, and ultimately helps craft solutions that build a lot of common ground and that would be effective," Morrow said.

"It is a constant balancing act"

After six years as commissioner, Mulligan accepted the No. 2 job at Missouri State.

Smart, who has known Mulligan since at least 2007, said part of the role is to help manage day-to-day operations of the university.

"The caliber of the people who work here is remarkable. People work here because they are really dedicated to the institution, to its mission, to the students we serve," she said.

In May 2022, shortly before Mulligan started, Smart made it clear her hiring was part of his strategic succession plan. There had been a wave of high-level retirements at the university and Smart hoped the board would tap Mulligan to fill in if something happened that left him incapacitated and consider her a "strong internal candidate" whenever he decided to retire.

Smart originally hoped the executive vice president would also serve as provost but the faculty balked, insisting they wanted a provost who had previously been a professor.

He proposed hiring an interim provost, to serve alongside Smart and Mulligan. The board agreed and John Jasinksi, then-president of Northwest Missouri State University, was selected.

On Sept. 6, Smart announced his intent to retire in mid-2024. At that time, Smart said Jasinski planned to apply for the president job but Mulligan did not.

Mulligan said working with Smart was a major draw for taking the Missouri State job a year ago.

"Clif has been part of the university's identity in a way few presidents are and certainly the university will look and feel differently after he departs. The next president has enormous shoes to fill," she said. "That person will need to figure out how to make connections with students (and) connect with the community similar to the way Clif has been able to do over the years."

More: MSU posts president's job, outlines key dates in search for Clif Smart's replacement

Asked why she is not applying for the top job, Mulligan said Smart is retiring sooner than she expected and "the timing, for me, does not feel right."

Mulligan, who co-parents with her ex-husband, has a 17-year-old senior at Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City.

During the week, Mulligan lives in a condo near campus and works long hours. Each weekend, she goes to Jefferson City — where she still maintains a home — so she can be present for her daughter.

"It is super hard. This is a very demanding job. Being the parent of a senior is also a demanding job. It is a constant balancing act where everyone is working hard to do their best," she said.

Mulligan is co-teaching a course on higher education leadership this semester at Missouri State. In her limited free time, she and close friends have been "eating the alphabet" by trying a different restaurant for each letter.

As for Missouri State, Mulligan said she is deeply invested in the work she started a year ago and hopes to continue it if Jasinski is hired.

"It has been phenomenal to work with John. He's another person that I've known for a long time. We crossed paths consistently in my time as commissioner," she said. "He's a person who leads quality institutions. Northwest, under his leadership, really transformed to a fantastic institution. I knew he'd bring that level of clarity and discipline and energy to his work here."

Asked if she might be a candidate for the top job at her alma mater Drury — which is also looking for a president — Mulligan said, "I don't plan to apply."

Claudette Riley covers education for the News-Leader. Email tips and story ideas to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Why Zora Mulligan doesn't plan to apply for Missouri State president