Dr. Caleb Simmons
Dr. Caleb Simmons leads university-wide efforts to expand access to higher education by building cross-campus partnerships that bridge traditional boundaries to meet the evolving needs of today’s learners through innovative delivery modalities, scalable pedagogies, and digital transformation. As Vice Provost of Arizona Online, he oversees the University’s fully online campus of more than 10,000 students, the University’s four statewide academic locations (Chandler, Gilbert, Nogales, and Yuma), and its Continuing and Professional Studies division.
Dr. Simmons’s passion for academic access is deeply rooted in his upbringing in the cotton and peanut farming community of Jay, Florida. Inspired by the legacy of George Washington Carver, Dr. Simmons believes in the power of education to meet learners where they are—both geographically and in life stage—and to transform lives far beyond the walls of traditional classrooms. His work is guided by the principle that, like Carver’s mobile classroom, education should not be constrained by location or circumstance but should be a resource that travels with and to students, empowering them to learn, grow, and thrive on their own terms.
Dr. Caleb Simmons brings a distinguished record of academic leadership and administrative innovation to this role. He has previously served in key leadership positions including Executive Director of Online Education overseeing Arizona Online and Faculty Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program, and is currently a member of the executive leadership team for the University of Arizona Online Initiatives. In these roles, he has led strategic growth in online enrollment, program development, academic planning, and student success initiatives, managing complex budgets, driving cross-campus collaboration, and implementing high-impact practices that advance institutional goals.
A tenured Professor of Religious Studies and a Center for University Education Scholarship Distinguished Fellow, Dr. Simmons is also an internationally recognized scholar of South Asian religious history and digital and online pedagogies. His interdisciplinary work reflects his commitment to bridging tradition and innovation—not only in his scholarship, but in the very way students access and experience higher learning. Dr. Simmons holds a Ph.D. in Religion from the University of Florida, an MBA with concentrations in Management and Marketing from the University of Arizona, an M.A. in Religion from Florida State University, and a B.A. in Religious Studies from Missouri State University. His academic foundation, coupled with extensive leadership experience across curriculum design, student support, and digital innovation, reflects a deep commitment to broadening access and enhancing the quality of higher education.