Wofford Trustees elect John Paul Dowd III, Ph.D., as 12th president
April 6, 2026
The Wofford College Board of Trustees has unanimously elected John Paul “Jay” Dowd III, Ph.D., as the college’s 12th president. His tenure begins July 1, 2026.
Dowd currently serves as president and chief executive officer of The Citadel Foundation, a position he’s held since 2013. He is a graduate of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he earned a B.A. in history. He holds an M.Ed., with a focus on student personnel services, and a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of South Carolina. He has more than 30 years of experience in higher education strategy, fundraising, institutional advancement and executive leadership.
In his current role, Dowd leads a team of 38 people who work to ensure that The Citadel has the resources to fund its strategic priorities. He has been an advisor to the institution’s president and has worked with other senior leaders in academics, operations, finances, enrollment, marketing, student services and athletics. He was on the committee that developed The Citadel’s most recent strategic plans and comprehensive campaigns, which yielded operational support of at least $50 million annually since 2021. The campaigns also increased endowment assets by more than $300 million and established a real estate holdings initiative to secure the future of the foundation and military college.
Previously, Dowd served as vice president for development and executive director at the Francis Marion University Education Foundation, where he was a member of the senior staff and the college’s chief fundraiser. He also has served as vice president for advancement at Columbia College, assistant vice chancellor for university advancement at University of North Carolina at Wilmington and vice president for institutional advancement at Methodist College. In each community, he was a leader and collaborator, discovering a passion for service and building and sustaining relationships based on transparency, communication and respect.
He has served in national leadership roles with the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and in community leadership with the Boys and Girls Clubs, the YMCA, youth little league baseball, the United Methodist Church and the United Way. He recently completed service on the University of South Carolina College of Education Dean’s Advisory Board and the South Carolina Humanities Board of Directors. In 2010, Dowd received the Winthrop University Alumni Professional Development Award, and in 2025, Gov. Henry McMaster awarded Dowd the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his service to public institutions of higher education in the Carolinas.
Dowd, a native of Bennettsville, South Carolina, lives in Bradley, South Carolina, with his wife, Kim. They have two adult children, Gibson, a 2023 Wofford graduate and a research technician in the Department of Biology at the University of South Carolina, and Brauer Dowd Kittrell, director of youth ministries at Clemson United Methodist Church. The Dowds served as co-chairs of the Wofford College Parents Leadership Council from 2021 to 2023, reestablishing that group as a force for college philanthropy and engagement.
“It is an honor to be selected to serve as the 12th president of Wofford College,” says Dowd. “I have so much appreciation for the power of a Wofford College education and am grateful for the college’s commitment to student success and the impact the Wofford experience made on our son. This is an opportunity to work with distinguished faculty, committed staff, loyal alumni, exceptional students and a passionate board of trustees to pay that appreciation forward.”
The Presidential Search was led by a Presidential Search Advisory Committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, alumni and trustees. The PSAC partnered with AGB Search LLC. To read more about the search process, visit Wofford.edu/presidentialsearch.
ABOUT WOFFORD COLLEGE
Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The college is nationally known for its outstanding faculty, study abroad participation, successful and supportive graduates and commitment to making college affordable and accessible; 99% of students receive some form of financial assistance. The college’s 190-acre campus, located within walking distance of Spartanburg’s thriving downtown, is home to about 1,800 undergraduates. In addition to a rigorous academic program and experiential learning opportunities (study abroad, career preparation, research and community-based learning), Wofford students enjoy Division I athletics, fraternity and sorority life and a creative visual and performing arts scene. To learn more, visit wofford.edu.
