Chancellors and Presidents

Chancellors and Presidents
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1880s

8/30/1889 Alexander Holladay appointed president

The Board of Trustees chose Alexander Q. Holladay as the first president of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The offer surprised Holladay because he applied to be a professor of English, but he accepted the presidency position anyway. He served in the position until 1899. (Biography of Alexander Holladay)

Alexander Q. Holladay portrait paintingAlexander Q. Holladay portrait painting

1890s

1899 George Tayloe Winston became college's second president

Winston served in the position until retirement in 1908. (Biography of George Tayloe Winston)

George Tayloe WinstonGeorge Tayloe Winston

1900s

1908 Daniel Harvey Hill Jr. appointed president

After serving as a professor of English and librarian at the college, Hill was chosen by the Board of Trustees to succeed President George Tayloe Winston. He served until retirement in 1916. (Biography of D. H. Hill, Jr.)

D. H. Hill portrait paintingD. H. Hill portrait painting

1910s

7/1916 Wallace Riddick became president

Wallace Carl Riddick became college president. He previously served as vice president and professor of civil engineering. He was president until 1923, when he became engineering dean. (Biography of Wallace Carl Riddick)

Wallace Carl Riddick portrait [Duplicate]Wallace Carl Riddick portrait [Duplicate]

1920s

6/25/1923 Eugene Brooks became president

He led the college until he retired in 1934. (Biography of E. C. Brooks)

Eugene Clyde Brooks portraitEugene Clyde Brooks portrait

1930s

1931 College "president" renamed

The title for the chief executive officer at NC State changed from "president" to "dean of administration." This occurred after NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Women's College (which later became UNC-Greensboro) combined to form the Consolidated University.

1934 John William Harrelson headed college

John William Harrelson, class of 1909, was appointed head of the college. He led NC State until 1953. (Biography of John Harrelson)

Chancellor John W. Harrelson at deskChancellor John W. Harrelson at desk

1940s

1945 Chancellor title implemented

The title of NC State's chief executive officer changed to "chancellor."

1950s

9/1/1953 Carey Bostian became chancellor

Dr. Carey Hoyt Bostian became the seventh person to lead NC State. He served on the NC State faculty since 1930. In 1959, he stepped down as chancellor to return to teaching. (Biography of Carey Bostian)

Carey H. Bostian portraitCarey H. Bostian portrait
1959 John Tyler Caldwell became chancellor

John Tyler Caldwell was named Chancellor. He served until retiring in 1975. (Biography of John Caldwell)

1970s

6/30/1975 Chancellor Caldwell retired

Dr. John T. Caldwell retired after 15 years as NC State's chancellor. Caldwell oversaw a period of unprecedented growth for the university. Of the nearly 47,000 degrees awarded in the first 85 years of the university, two-thirds were earned during Caldwell's tenure.

Chancellor John T. Caldwell and Carol Caldwell at his retirement receptionChancellor John T. Caldwell and Carol Caldwell at his retirement reception
7/1975 Jackson Ashcroft Rigney became interim chancellor

Rigney served as interim chancellor after Chancellor Caldwell retired and before Chancellor Thomas took the position. (Biography of Jackson Rigney)

Jackson A. Rigney portraitJackson A. Rigney portrait
1/1/1976 Joab Thomas became chancellor

Joab L. Thomas became the ninth chancellor of NC State. During his administration, enrollment at the university surpassed 20,000 students for the first time, and the College of Veterinary Medicine was established. He left NC State in 1981 to become president of the University of Alabama. (Biography of Joab Thomas)

Joab Thomas, NCSU ChancellorJoab Thomas, NCSU Chancellor

1980s

1981 Nash Nicks Winstead named interim chancellor

Winstead served as interim chancellor after Chancellor Thomas left the university and before Chancellor Poulton took the position. (Biography of Nash Winstead)

Nash WinsteadNash Winstead
1982 Bruce Robert Poulton named chancellor

Poulton became the tenth chancellor of NC State and the third scientist to lead the institution. Under his leadership, the university acquired and began to develop Centennial Campus. Poulton served as chancellor until 1989, and he later became director of the university's Literacy Systems Center. (Biography of Bruce Poulton)

Chancellor Bruce R. PoultonChancellor Bruce R. Poulton
1989 Larry K. Monteith named interim chancellor
Chancellor Larry K. MonteithChancellor Larry K. Monteith

1990s

1990 Monteith chosen as chancellor

After serving as interim chancellor for several months, Larry K. Monteith was chosen by the UNC System Board of Governors to fill the position on a permanent basis. He served until retirement in 1998. (Biography of Larry Monteith)

1998 First woman hired as chancellor

Marye Anne Fox became the first woman hired as chancellor at NC State. She served in the position until 2004 when she left to become chancellor of the University of California, San Diego. (Biography of Marye Anne Fox)

Chancellor Marye Anne FoxChancellor Marye Anne Fox

2000s

2004 Robert A. Barnhardt named interim chancellor

Barnhardt served as interim chancellor after Chancellor Fox left the university and before Chancellor Oblinger took the position. (Biography of Bob Barnhardt)

Dean Robert A. Barnhardt portraitDean Robert A. Barnhardt portrait
2005 James L. Oblinger named chancellor

He served in the position until 2009. (Biography of Jim Oblinger)

Dean James L. Oblinger at deskDean James L. Oblinger at desk
2009-2010 Jim Woodward named interim chancellor

Woodward served as interim chancellor after Chancellor Oblinger stepped down and before Chancellor Woodson took the position. (Biography of Jim Woodward)

Interim Chancellor James H. WoodwardInterim Chancellor James H. Woodward

2010s

1/8/2010 Randy Woodson became chancellor

Woodson had previously been Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at Purdue University. (Biography of Randy Woodson)

Chancellor Randy WoodsonChancellor Randy Woodson