Goldey-Beacom College (GBC) President Colleen Perry Keith, a longtime advocate of bettering student-athletes’ lives and a longtime voice within the NCAA, will be elevated to Chair of the NCAA Division II Executive Board when the 2024 NCAA Convention concludes this January in Phoenix.
“Dr. Keith’s appointment is important for the College and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC),” Director of Athletics Jeremy Benoit said. “Our president continues to make an impact on the College, but she always has her eyes set on the improvement of our community … whether that means our immediate community or a community as large as the NCAA membership. Her willingness to get involved at this level will continue to ensure that small colleges like Goldey-Beacom have their voices heard in the legislative process. There is no one more well-read and capable to do that than she.”
Dr. Keith will also serve as the Division II representative on the NCAA Board of Governors in a renewable one-year term. She is one of nine presidents on the 14-member board out of the 311 Division II institutions who will serve on the Executive Board (formerly known as the Presidents Council).
“I am honored to serve the NCAA Division II colleges and student athletes in this role,” Dr. Keith said. “The philosophy of Division II – life in the balance – fits well with who I am, but more importantly, who and what Goldey-Beacom and our sister colleges in the division are. At the end of the day, the goal of a balanced approach is to achieve optimal outcomes by considering a wide range of factors and finding the right blend of those factors. Division II student-athletes live that day in and day out: they balance academics with competitive athletics with community engagement with work and with family and bring it all together as they prepare for their adult lives. It’s inspiring and humbling to see our student-athletes balance it all and it is a privilege to serve in this way.”
One of the most affable people on campus, Dr. Keith has accomplished a great deal since her 2019 arrival in Pike Creek. Among the many steps forward under her leadership include …
• Helping finalize completion of William A. Franta Hall, the campus’ latest residence hall.
• Helping finalize completion of the new dining hall/lounge in addition to opening the new Event Center that has brought many people on to campus for the first time.
• Playing an instrumental role in reimagining academic programs and administrative roles on campus in bettering the student experience and improving the work lives of employees.
• Serving on The Partnership Board of Directors for the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.
• Serving on the Board of Governors of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and Chair of Transform Mid-Atlantic.
• Serving as a board member of the Wilmington Rotary Club, on the advisory council for the Fund for Women, on the steering committee for Million Women Mentors and formerly on the board for the Forum of Executive Women – Delaware.
• Named Vice-Chair of the NCAA Division II Executive Board in January 2023.
Her vision and determination continue to be a reinforcement of all the positives Goldey-Beacom College displays on campus, the Wilmington community and beyond. Dr. Keith is the 14th president in GBC history and the College’s first female president. Her prior accomplishments include…
• Thirty-six years of higher education experience.
• President at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina from 2015-19.
• President of Spartanburg Methodist College from 2009-15.
• Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from SUNY, University Center at Binghamton (now Binghamton University).
• Master of Education Degree, Education Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University.
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