Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez announced Thursday Frederika “Fraka” Harmsen will become the university’s provost and will replace Interim Provost Charles Gossett in February.

In an email sent to the campus community, Gonzalez said Harmsen’s experiences will allow her to strengthen Sac State and create new opportunities for students.

“I was impressed during the interview process by Dr. Harmsen’s comprehensive experience as a teacher, researcher and leader,” Gonzalez said in his email. “She has managed colleges and departments during challenging budgetary times while always focusing on the future and preparing graduates for dynamic careers.”

Harmsen is currently the dean of the College of Natural Sciences at Chico State University.

“I’m very excited and very energized by the incredible work going around across [Sac State] and also by the possibilities and challenges in front of us, [such as] the expectations for higher education or declining public resources,” Harmsen said. “I think it’s an exciting time to be in higher education.”

Born in the Netherlands and raised in New Zealand, Harmsen obtained her doctorate degree in geology from Victoria University in 1984.

She moved to the United States the same year after accepting a position as a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow at the University of Montana. She worked at Fresno State in the College of Science and Mathematics for 26 years before accepting the position of dean at Chico State.

“Dr. Harmsen has been an outstanding dean and colleague and her leadership and commitment in the areas of student learning and student success, STEM education and diversity, as well as faculty research, will be a great asset in her new position,” said Chico State Provost Belle Wei. “We wish Fraka every success in her new position at Sacramento State and I personally look forward to working with her as a fellow Provost in the CSU system.”

With 28 years of CSU administrative and academic experiences, Harmsen said she hopes she can use her wealth of experience to focus on academic excellence and innovation, and also commit to affordability and diversity.

Kevin Wehr, Sac State sociology professor, said despite not knowing much about Harmsen, he believes she had a terrific record at Chico State.

“I was very much encouraged what I heard at the candidate forum,” Wehr said. “I look forward to working with her in a productive and collegial relationship.”

A welcoming reception for Harmsen will be held Friday at 3 p.m. in the University Union’s Foothill suite.