Novak says in some ways the new job will be similar to her old job - leading Dakota Wesleyan University for eight years, with 1,000 students compared to 3,000 at St. Ambrose.
"Every community is different so I'm very keen on listening to community leaders and understanding what are the dynamics in the Quad Cities and how does St. Ambrose fit into those dynamics, and what kinds of expertise or service or support can we offer to be a strong partner in this community."
She thinks the real challenge will be that students these days are learning differently.
"They're accessing knowledge differently and accessing content differently and the pandemic has sped that up. And so in what ways do we begin to think creatively from an educational standpoint about how we deliver the content and how do we equip our faculty for a new generation of learner."
During her tenure at Dakota Wesleyan, it experienced record enrollment growth, set fundraising records, updated campus facilities, and launched new academic programs.
Novak was hired after a national search for Sister Joan's replacement.
