Thursday, March 04, 2010

UM Board names Montevallo's 15th president

The University of Montevallo Board of Trustees selected Dr. John W. Stewart III as the University’s 15th president at a special meeting of the trustees this afternoon. Dr. Stewart is vice president for institutional advancement at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla. He will take over as president of the University of Montevallo Aug. 1.

George Walker, chairman of the Montevallo Board of Trustees, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Stewart to lead the University in these challenging times. He has expressed and has demonstrated his commitment to the important mission of the University, which is to provide students from throughout the state an affordable, geographically accessible, ‘small college’ public higher educational experience of high quality with a strong emphasis on undergraduate liberal studies and with professional programs supported by a broad base of arts and sciences.”

Walker expressed his hope that the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the University will join the trustees in welcoming Dr. Stewart to Montevallo and in supporting him as he leads the University and carries on its tradition as Alabama’s public liberal arts university.

Dr. Stewart was selected as vice president for institutional advancement at Flagler in 2005. He previously served as vice president for development at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Miss.

He brings a unique mix of experience to Montevallo, including marketing, fundraising and even teaching. He received a doctorate in English with a focus on African/Caribbean and Harlem Renaissance literature from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also has an M.A. in English from Washington College in Chestertown, Md., and a B.A. in history from Wake Forest University.

His credentials also include service as director of capital giving at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and as director of major gifts and director of development operations at USM.

Earlier in his career, he held a number of administrative and academic positions at William Carey, beginning there in 1997.

Dr. Stewart was marketing representative and project manager for J.W. Stewart Inc. Industrial Contractors in Delaware from 1983-1997. He was vice president of operations and business development for the company from 1990-1997.

A frequent speaker at conferences, Dr. Stewart has published scholarly articles and book reviews. Recipient of a number of awards and honors during his career, he was selected as the Mississippi Humanities Council/William Carey University Co-Professor of the Year. He has held leadership roles in a number of community and arts organizations, including the Small Business Development Committee in Hattiesburg, United Way and the Florida Ballet.

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