The First Woman President of Chowan University in Murfreesboro, North Carolina

Rosemary M. Thomas has been selected as the twenty-fourth president of Chowan University in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. When she takes office on March 11, she will be the first women president in the university’s 175-year history.

Chowan University enrolls about 800 undergraduate students and nearly 100 graduate students, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. Women are just 40 percent of the undergraduate student body.

“The opportunity to serve Chowan University is indeed an honor and a privilege,” said Dr. Thomas. “I see the future of this institution as being very bright and transformative for the students as well as the greater community. Successful higher education institutions of today require unprecedented dedication, collaboration, vision, and courage – I have seen first-hand all of these attributes and many more in the faculty and staff of this celebrated Christian university. I look forward to getting to know and working with all members of the Chowan family as we strive for continued success and enhanced opportunities for all stakeholders.”

Dr. Thomas brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having served as the executive vice president at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia. She began her service there in 2017 as vice president of enrollment management and institutional advancement. Prior to her time at Davis and Elkins College, Dr. Thomas held various leadership positions at Frostburg State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Salisbury University, and Glenville State College.

Dr. Thomas is a native of Fairmont, West Virginia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from Clemson University in South Carolina. She holds a master of public administration degree from the University of South Carolina and a doctorate in educational leadership from West Virginia University.