Quincy University Appoints 24th President
QUINCY, Ill.–The Quincy University Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Brian McGee as the University’s 24thPresident at a press conference in the historic St. Francis Solanus Chapel on Monday, December 10. McGee will succeed Phil Conover, who has been serving as President since May 2017. McGee will officially begin work on July 1, 2019.
“This is truly an exciting day for Quincy University and our region. The board of trustees is confident that Dr. McGee is the best choice to continue the outstanding work of President Conover in moving the University towards long-term sustainability,” said Del Mitchell, chair of the Quincy University Board of Trustees. “I want to thank Mike McClain, the search committee and the campus community for the work they put into this search. Their guidance in this process was invaluable.”
Dr. McGee is currently serving as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Under McGee’s leadership, the College of Charleston has created 15 new academic programs, has expanded support services for at-risk students and developed new programs for active-duty military personnel and military veterans.
McGee also has been committed to expanding access to higher education. Most recently he helped to create a community college bridge program that provides more students the opportunity to transfer to the College of Charleston. Charleston also has launched a new Transfer Resource Center in order to simplify and streamline the transfer student process.
Before serving as provost, McGee worked as Charleston’s chief of staff and senior vice president of executive administration and as a tenured professor and chair of Charleston’s department of communication, one of its largest academic units.
Prior to joining the College of Charleston, McGee was the chair of the School of Communication at Spalding University. He also worked at Texas Tech University and Northeast Louisiana University. Dr. McGee holds a B.S. and M.S. in speech communication from SIU Carbondale and a Ph.D. in communication from The Ohio State University.
“I am honored and thrilled to have been chosen as the next President of Quincy University, and I am humbled by the confidence the Quincy University Board of Trustees has placed in me. Joining QU and the Quincy community will be the greatest privilege of my career,” said Dr. McGee. “I am truly inspired by the story of Quincy University, as that story has inspired generations of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community leaders. The QU story begins with the visionary friars who founded the University and brought the Franciscan tradition of academic excellence to the City of Quincy and to the tri-states.”
“Today, the heart of this beautiful and dynamic river city is its university, which for over 150 years has served Quincy, the region, and the world,” said McGee. “I am so eager to join this wonderful community in Quincy and to become part of QU’s amazing story, as the University looks forward to its next 150 years.”
The University began the presidential search process in February by forming a committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, Franciscan friars, alumni, board of trustee members and community leaders. The consulting firm of R.H. Perry was hired in March and interviews were conducted throughout October and November. A total of 67 candidates applied for the position. The board of trustees voted on the final candidates as a special meeting on November 29th.
“I was impressed with the caliber of candidates that we attracted in this nation-wide search. This process has been a labor of love for myself and the committee. In the end we truly were able to select the best fit for Quincy University and the Quincy region,” said Mike McClain, Quincy University trustee and chair of the search committee. “The search committee did an outstanding job of weighing the needs of the campus constituents to bring forth excellent candidates for the board of trustees to consider. I am grateful for their service and their professionalism.”
Founded in 1860 by Franciscan friars, Quincy University (www.quincy.edu) is a Catholic, co-educational, residential university offering undergraduate, graduate, and adult education programs that integrate liberal arts, active learning, practical experience, and
Franciscan values. Quincy University’s intercollegiate sports are members of the NCAA
Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference for men and women. For more information, please contact the Quincy University Office of Community Relations by calling (217) 228-5275.
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