Drury University names Jeff Frederick its next president. Here's what to know

Drury University has named its next president. Jeff Frederick, who becomes the 19th president of the university, will take over on June 1.

Frederick currently serves as the provost and executive vice president at Wingate University in North Carolina, where he has been since 2020, according to a Drury news release. Before that, he worked at University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where he served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

"What could be more exciting than joining a team like Drury that is so focused on student-success and personalized learning," he said in the release.

Drury during the search

The search process for the role began in October 2023. Following the previous president Timothy Cloyd's abrupt resignation due to family health concerns in March 2023, philanthropist John Beuerlein has led the university in the interim.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve this remarkable institution that has given so much to me, my family and my career," Beuerlein said in the release. "Drury holds a special place in my heart, and I am confident that Dr. Frederick will continue to uphold our cherished values."

Frederick holds a doctorate in history from Auburn University, a master's in history and a bachelor's in marketing from the University of Central Florida. He has 21 years of experience in higher education.

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During his time as provost and executive vice president at Wingate, he has improved retention, led and managed the COVID-19 academic and related response, co-chaired the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and developed several new academic programs.

He has also worked for American Medical Electronics, Medical Resources Inc., Kendall Healthcare Products International and Motorola.

Melinda Frederick, Jeff's wife, is the director of counseling at Wingate.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Drury University announces hiring of Jeff Frederick as next president