MC President Bogart announces departure in 2020
July 25, 2019
Dr. Tom Bogart announced today that he will not extend his service as president of Maryville College beyond his current term, which ends in June 2020.
Bogart first made the announcement during an afternoon meeting of the executive committee of the College’s Board of Directors. Later, the news was shared in a memorandum emailed to all Board members, faculty, staff and students.
“The opportunity to serve Maryville College has been fulfilling both personally and professionally,” Bogart said. “I am proud of our many accomplishments since 2010.”
Years of accomplishment
Bogart, who previously served as dean of academic affairs at York College of Pennsylvania, began his presidency at Maryville College in July 2010 and was inaugurated in April 2011. When he departs in 2020, his tenure will have exceeded the average for college and university presidents by 3.5 years.
The Bogart years will be remembered as ones of accomplishment, said Dr. Mary Kay Sullivan, chairwoman of the College’s Board of Directors, during today’s meeting.
“Under his leadership, Maryville College Works was introduced, as was a new core curriculum that supports this career-focused initiative,” she said. “Dr. Bogart oversaw the introduction of new academic programs and made dramatic improvements in the scope and scale of community partnerships. The campus has completed renovations of Anderson Hall, Pearsons Hall and the Alumni Gym and made other substantial improvements to the campus and to athletic facilities.”
Sullivan shared that Bogart and his team had set new records for donations made to the Maryville Fund and received the largest gift ever given to Maryville College – $15 million from the estate of Dan and Elaine McGill to support student scholarships and the renovation of Anderson Hall.
“Since 2010, we have seen net assets almost double, we have had positive net unrestricted operating results every year, and the College’s long-term investments – endowment plus funds held in trust – have increased to over $96 million,” she added.
Sullivan said the campus and wider community would have opportunities to thank Bogart in the months ahead but wanted to take time at the meeting to express appreciation on behalf of the Board.
“You have led us in the celebration of 200 years of excellence in educating students of promise. You have helped us build important momentum that we will continue to build on in the years to come. Thank you,” she said.
‘Perfect moment’ for new leader
In his memo to the campus community, Bogart wrote that the year ahead “is a perfect moment to bring a new person on board,” explaining that a new president will benefit from the College’s leadership team, new strategic plan and momentum generated from the College’s bicentennial celebration.
“We have an incredible history, but I believe that Maryville College’s best days still lie ahead, and will do my utmost to ensure a smooth transition to help our entire community achieve that promise,” he wrote. “I am grateful to the many people – Board, faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors and community members – who have made my time here so memorable and who have truly lived out Isaac Anderson’s exhortation to ‘do good on the largest possible scale.’”
Search will commence for new president
Sullivan said discussions regarding the search for Maryville College’s 12th president are under way. A search committee, representing all of the various constituencies of the College, will be named in the coming weeks.