Two State Universities Have Appointed Women to Provost Positions

Donna K. Arnett was appointed executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of South Carolina.

“I’m honored to be chosen for this important role at the University of South Carolina,” Dr. Arnett said. “My goals are to ignite student success, listen to the faculty and students about how innovations brought on by the pandemic’s remote instruction might shape the future of teaching and learning, build upon the university’s already strong academic offerings, and foster a climate of inclusive excellence across campus.”

Since 2016, Dr. Arnett has been dean of the College of Health at the University of Kentucky. Earlier, she was associate dean and chair of the department of epidemiology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Dr. Arnett is a past president of the American Heart Association.

Dr. Arnett earned a nursing degree and a master’s degree in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of South Florida. She holds a Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Amy Thompson was named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, effective June 1. She was selected from a pool of 47 candidates for the position.

“Student success is key,” Dr. Thompson said. “I’m always looking for ways to make sure that when students arrive on campus, they’re successful, that they are supported and that we can help them graduate in a timely fashion. There’s just so much opportunity and talent here, and I’m thrilled to roll up my sleeves and join the team.”

Dr. Thompson is senior vice provost of academic affairs and acting dean of the College of Graduate Studies at the University of Toledo in Ohio. She joined the faculty at the University of Toledo in 2008 and was promoted to professor of public health in 2013. From 2018 to 2020, Dr. Thompson served as the university’s vice provost and associate provost of faculty affairs. Early in her career, she was an assistant professor of health education at Kent State University in Ohio and an assistant professor of health education at Mississippi State University.

Dr. Thompson holds a bachelor’s degree in community health and health promotion, with a minor in family life and human sexuality, from Central Michigan University. She earned a master’s degree in public health education and a Ph.D. in health education from the University of Toledo.