The board of trustees at Converse College, a liberal arts educational institution for women, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has selected Krista Newkirk as the tenth president of the college, effective July 1. Converse College enrolls about 825 women in its undergraduate programs. There are more than 500 graduate students at the college.
Newkirk currently serves as chief of staff for the president of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Before assuming her current, post she was senior associate general counsel at the university. Earlier, Newkirk worked in private practice and as a corporate attorney.
In accepting the appointment, Newkirk stated, “Converse has created a magnetic educational experience because of the value it places on both academic excellence and co-curricular opportunities. I look forward to working with the trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumnae, and members of the community to continue this work, finding new ways to strengthen Converse and to provide value for our students and alumnae. Together, we will demonstrate that a liberal arts education is the foundation for society and for the workforce, regardless of sector.”
Newkirk is a graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She received a juris doctorate at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.