May 20, 2005                                   

Wilkerson Leaving SMC

Will Assume Presidency of Bainbridge College

SPARTANBURG, S.C. –  Dr. Thomas A. Wilkerson, who has served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Spartanburg Methodist College since 1997, will soon assume the presidency of Bainbridge College in Bainbridge, Ga.

The Board of Regents and University System of Georgia Chancellor, Thomas C. Meredith, announced the naming of Wilkerson to the college, which is located in southern Georgia. Wilkerson will leave SMC June 14. He will assume his new post at Bainbridge College July 1. Dr. Mark Gibbs, Professor of Religion, will serve as interim Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Charles Teague, SMC President, announced that a search committee composed of faculty, staff and trustees will be established to fill the vacancy.

"Dr. Wilkerson has been an inspiration to our academic community for nearly eight years. Under his leadership, our academic program has grown in many ways, as exemplified in the newly emerging Paralegal program,” said Teague, who characterized Wilkerson’s commitment to academic excellence, institutional integrity, and student growth and development as a model for all academic leaders.  “Although we will miss his dedication to our students, faculty and staff, we wish him the very best in his new position," Teague added.

Before coming to SMC, Wilkerson spent 29 years in administrative and faculty positions in the University System of Georgia, including South Georgia College, where he was Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Dalton College, where he chaired the Division of Humanities.

Wilkerson commented that his years at SMC have been “a joy” and added, “I have been honored and privileged to be here.” He also expressed gratitude to SMC faculty and staff for being supportive of him at a time in his life when he lost his father and saw his nephew deployed to Baghdad in military service.

Wilkerson holds undergraduate degrees from Augusta College, in Augusta, Ga., and Georgia Southern College, in Statesboro, as well as a MFA degree in Speech and Drama and an Ed.D. in Speech Education from the University of Georgia.