Texas State names inaugural vice president for TXST Global

Following an extensive national search, Thillainatarajan “Thilla” Sivakumaran has been named the inaugural vice president for TXST Global at Texas State University.  

Sivakumaran comes to Texas State from Arkansas State University, where he served as vice chancellor for enrollment management and global outreach since 2021. Sivakumaran will start at Texas State July 1, 2023. 

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Sivakumaran as our inaugural Vice President for TXST Global,” said President Kelly Damphousse. “The globalization and digitization of today’s workforce requires learning opportunities and partnerships that know no boundaries. Under Thilla's leadership and strategic direction, TXST will be poised to greatly expand access to our current and future degree programs, advance the Run to R1, make a TXST degree available to more international and domestic students, and enhance the value of our brand nationally and internationally.”

Beginning in 2020, Sivakumaran served as vice rector of academic affairs for Arkansas State University’s campus in Queretaro, Mexico. Between 2012 and 2021, he held various other roles at Arkansas State, including executive director of global engagement and outreach and dean for the College of Education and Behavioral Science. In these roles, he was responsible for growing enrollment of freshman, transfer and graduate students. He also established degree centers on community college campuses, more than quadrupled enrollment at the Queretaro campus and increased concurrent/dual Arkansas State enrollment in high schools across the state. He has established transfer, study abroad and online partnerships with various universities around the world, including in China, Japan, Qatar, Malta and Scotland. He also has in-depth experience working with online program management companies to scale programs.

Prior to his time at Arkansas State, Sivakumaran served eight years at the University of Louisiana at Monroe in various capacities, including instructional technology coordinator, faculty member in curriculum and instruction, and associate dean for the College of Education and Human Development. Before moving into higher education, Sivakumaran taught high school chemistry, biology and physical science.

Sivakumaran earned his bachelor of science in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Washington and a master of science in secondary science education and a Ph.D. in instructional technology from the University of Tennessee.