Dixie L. Thompson has been named vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
She will take the post April 1.
A faculty member since 1994, Thompson has been serving as associate dean for research and academic affairs in UT’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. She is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies and served as the department head from 2008 until 2012.
As vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, Thompson will oversee all aspects of graduate education on the Knoxville campus and at the UT Space Institute.
“Dixie has a wealth of leadership experience and will offer a fresh perspective on how we recruit diverse and exceptional graduate students and provide a quality experience for them,” Provost Susan Martin said. “As we complete our update of Vol Vision, we will rely on Dixie to help us define measures of excellence in graduate education, improve services for graduate students,and develop strategies to grow our graduate program.”
Thompson has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned a doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Virginia.
She attended the 2008 HERS Summer Institute at Bryn Mawr College for intensive leadership training in higher education administration and participated in the 2009–2010 Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program. She is a fellow and board of trustees member of the American College of Sports Medicine and a fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to lead the Graduate School,” Thompson said. “I am honored for the opportunity to work with students, academic units, and all collaborating partners to provide an exceptional educational experience for our graduate and professional students.”
Thompson succeeds Carolyn Hodges, who left the Graduate School post January 1 and returned to the faculty of the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures. Mary Albrecht, professor and associate provost for accreditation, served as interim vice provost and dean of the Graduate School.
The search committee for this position was led by Tami Wyatt, professor and assistant dean of graduate programs in the College of Nursing.
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CONTACT:
Amy Blakely (865-974-5034, ablakely@utk.edu)