Yet another Baylor alum joins ranks of university presidents

Today, Dr. Elizabeth Davis, BBA ’84, becomes President Davis.

Furman University today welcomes Davis, formerly Baylor’s executive vice president and provost, as the 12th president in the school’s history. (Dr. David Garland, dean of Truett Seminary, has been named to replace Davis on an interim basis while Baylor conducts a national search for the next provost.)

Davis, who was named Furman’s president in February, brings an incredible Baylor resume to her new job. After earning her business degree from Baylor in 1984, Davis returned to her alma mater as a professor of accounting in 1992. She later served as an associate dean in the Hankamer School of Business and vice provost for financial and academic administration. Davis was named interim provost in 2008 and was named to the position in earnest in 2010, becoming the first woman to serve as Baylor’s top academic officer.

In taking the reins at Furman, a small Christian university in South Carolina, Davis joins a long list of Baylor graduates who serve as the top executive at colleges and universities nationwide and even around the world:

• Dr. Paul Armes, BA ’71, President, Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, Texas
• Dr. Gary Cook, BA ’72, Dallas Baptist University, Dallas
• Dr. Elizabeth Davis, BBA ’84, Furman University, Greenville, S.C.
• Harry Davros, JD ’94, Wade College, Dallas
• Dr. Donald Dowless, PhD ’89, Shorter University, Rome, Ga.
• Dr. Ronald Ellis, MSEd ’81, California Baptist University, Riverside, Calif.
• Dr. Wayne Hatcher, MA ’80, Black River Technical College, Mena, Ark.
• Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, BA ’89, University of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Dr. Chuck Kelley, BA ’74, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans
• Dr. Michael Lindsay, BA ’94, Gordon College, Wenham, Mass.
• Rene Maciel, MSED ’91, Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio
• Dr. Kenneth Martin, EDD ’01, Navarro College (Ellis County Campuses), Midlothian & Waxahachie, Texas
• Dr. Harold Nolte, BS ’77, MSEd ’80, Blinn College, Brenham, Texas
• Dr. Dub Oliver, BSEd ’87, Union University, Jackson, Tenn.
• Dr. Randy O’Rear, EDD ’04, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, Texas
• Capt. John Pugh, BA ’67, University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, Alaska
• Dr. Myles Shelton, BA ’75, MS ’76, EDD ’94, Galveston College, Galveston, Texas
• Dr. Robert Sloan, BA ’70, Houston Baptist University, Houston
• Dr. Beck Taylor, BBA ’92, Whitworth College, Spokane, Wash.
• Dr. Craig Turner, BA ’69, MA ’71, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Owensboro, Ky.

And this list doesn’t include two other prominent members of the Baylor family without degrees from BU. Longtime religion professor and former provost Dr. Randall O’Brien is president of Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., while longtime law school professor and former BU interim president Bill Underwood is president of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. (If we’re missing anyone else who should be listed, please let us know!)

Sic ’em, President Davis and Baylor presidents everywhere!

Changes/additions made after the original post:

• Dr. J. Blair Blackburn, EDD ’00, East Texas Baptist University [added 4/9/15]
• Eric Bruntmyer, JD ’94, Hardin-Simmons University [added 2/29/16]
• Dr. Barry Creamer, BA ’85, Criswell College, Dallas [added 7/17/14]
• Dr. J. Bradley Creed, BA ’79, Campbell University, Buies Creek, N.C. [added 1/5/15]
• Dr. Mary Hensley, EDD ’89, Blinn College, Brenham, Texas [added 5/27/15]
• Dr. Amanda Lee, BA ’88, MA ’90, Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, N.C. [added 6/12/15]
• Dr. Brian McCall, BA ’81, Texas State University System [added 7/24/14]
• Dr. Linda Schott, BA ’79, Southern Oregon University [added 6/14/16]
• Dr. Gregory Williams, EDD ’96, Odessa College, Odessa, Texas [added 7/24/14]