Dr. Jack Thomas Biography

Provost and Academic Vice President Thomas's headshot

Dr. Jack Thomas
Provost & Academic Vice President
Sherman Hall 211
Telephone: 309/298-1066
E-mail: J-Thomas2@wiu.edu
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Dr. Jack Thomas became provost and academic vice president at Western Illinois University on January 1, 2008 bringing with him outstanding experiences in the areas of academic affairs, academic enrichment programs, curriculum, diversity, student affairs, internationalization, distance learning, and many others.

Dr. Thomas received his bachelor's degree in English from Alabama A&M University (1983). He earned a master's degree in English education from Virginia State University (1984) and a Ph.D. in English literature and criticism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1990).

A former senior vice provost for academic affairs and professor of English at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) (2006-2008), Dr. Thomas also held administrative positions at MTSU as vice provost for academic affairs (2004-2006) and interim dean of the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning (2006).

Prior to joining the MTSU faculty, Thomas was a professor of English (1990-2004) at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD, and director of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Scholars Program (2002-2004). Thomas also served as interim president from 2001-2002 at Maryland Eastern Shore, as well as executive vice president (2001), associate vice president for academic/student affairs (2000-2001), executive assistant to the president (1999-2001), chair of the department of English and modern languages (1996-1999), associate professor of English and coordinator of freshman English (1995-1996) and assistant professor of English and coordinator of freshman English (1990-1995). Thomas also was the assistant track coach at Maryland Eastern Shore for eight years. He has also taught English and coached at South Carolina State University (1989-1990), and Johnson C Smith University.

Thomas is a 2005 graduate of the Harvard Institute for Management and Leadership Education (MLE) program. He was the Kellogg-NAFEO MIS Leadership Fellow from 2003-2004 in the Office of the President at Alabama State University and also studied in Salzburg, Austria in Fall 1999 as part of the Salzburg Seminar, "Globalization in Higher Education." He was an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow in Spring 1999, serving in the Office of the President at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and was an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow in Fall 1998, serving in the Office of the President at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.