Leading with Mission and Momentum

Poon’s ascension marks a natural development of his tenure as LMU’s executive vice president and provost since 2017, a role in which he has shaped nearly every aspect of the university’s academic enterprise. Under his leadership, LMU secured the university’s first national research classification, a Carnegie R2 designation, reinforcing LMU’s standing as a premier Catholic university. He has also fortified LMU’s teacher-scholar model by investing in faculty development and inclusive excellence. Poon played an integral role in pursuing LMU’s federal designations as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). Seeking to elevate these academic opportunities through institutional visibility, Poon helped launch LMU’s Playa Vista Campus in Los Angeles’ tech hub and initiated signature programs such as the Global Conversations speaker series, hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

A first-generation college student with a Ph.D. in chemistry from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree from sister Jesuit institution Fairfield University in Connecticut, Poon’s academic roots run deep. He is a respected educator and textbook author who pioneered new pedagogical tools and advocated for access to STEM education. But it is his approach to institutional leadership – consultative, mission-driven, and attuned to a changing world – that positions him to lead LMU into its next chapter.

His appointment comes as higher education faces immense political, financial, and cultural pressures, underscoring the need for authentic, courageous, values-driven leadership. Poon’s commitment to inclusion, social justice, and academic freedom – and the respect he has garnered from the university community during his tenure as provost – uniquely position him to lead the university to further success.

“My North Star,” he explains, “is to do what is right – not just what is popular. We need to sustain the university’s mission and ensure its success for generations of students to come. That requires a clear sense of purpose and broad collaboration, particularly when we have those inevitable tough choices to make.”

From Mission Alignment to Mission Distinction

At the heart of Poon’s vision is a call to transform LMU’s already strong sense of mission into a powerful and distinctive force – on campus, in Los Angeles, and across the global Jesuit network.

“We talk about mission alignment, but I think we have an opportunity to pursue mission distinction,” he says. “That means being visibly and recognizably engaged in doing good in the world, not just in words, but by deeds.”

That vision includes deepening partnerships with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; investing in public programs that bring LMU’s values into community spaces; and positioning LMU as a moral compass during political and cultural volatility.

“Our Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount heritage compels us to care for the marginalized, to defend human dignity, and to act with courage. These aren’t political stances; they’re faith commitments.”

Poon’s own faith has shaped his leadership. Sparked during his undergraduate years, his connection to Ignatian spirituality remains a guiding light in how he approaches service and discernment.

Building a Transcendent Education

Poon sees LMU’s distinctive educational model as a competitive advantage and a moral imperative.

“We already offer a whole-person education,” he says. “But we can do more. What we provide is a transcendent education, one that transforms students not just intellectually, but spiritually, socially, and globally.”

That transformation, he notes, is visible in students who choose multiple majors and minors while at the same time holding leadership roles, working jobs, engaging in service, and studying abroad. LMU’s investment in internships and global opportunities has grown under Poon’s leadership, with more students able to pursue meaningful experiences regardless of financial means.

“They arrive as students and leave as multifaceted people prepared for values-based leadership roles in complex, diverse environments,” he says. “That is what sets LMU apart.”

Strengthening Strategic Partnerships

LMU’s location in Los Angeles offers rare access to partnerships across entertainment, tech, business, and global industries. With nationally recognized programs in law, film and television, entrepreneurship, business, and the arts, LMU is embedded in the creative cultural, and economic life of Los Angeles, generating $1.4 billion in annual economic impact.

“We’re in the world’s creative capital,” he says. “That proximity, paired with our mission, attracts organizations that want to do good and that want to partner with institutions that do the same.”

Poon points to recent collaborations with the Los Angeles Rams and opportunities around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, L.A. 2028 Olympics, and the city’s investment in infrastructure. These are not merely headline-grabbing moments, he says, they are gateways to career-launching internships, job pipelines, academic initiatives, and philanthropic engagement.

Facing Higher Ed’s Crossroads Moment

Poon is clear-eyed about the challenges facing higher education: enrollment compression,  skepticism about the value of college, and federal funding threats.

“Too many communities are being left behind,” he says, citing recent federal cancellations of grants that supported historically excluded communities such as people of color, women, non-English speakers, and inner-city populations. “As a Catholic institution, we must fill the gaps. We’ve always done that – it’s who we are.”

Poon’s leadership model draws from a lifetime of collaborating with others in the role: He has in the course of his career served under or alongside 16 university presidents. That breadth, he says, taught him what works and what erodes trust.