Hunt to lead academic programs as Wingate’s new provost

Wingate University has named a new provost to lead the institution's academic enterprise. Dr. Laura Hunt will start her new position on Jan. 1, 2025.

Hunt is the associate provost at Georgetown College in Kentucky, where she started in 2008 as a faculty member teaching Spanish. Since then, she has served as chair of the World Languages Department, SACSCOC Institutional Accreditation Liaison, chair of the Academic Policy Committee, academic ombud, director of international programs, and Fulbright advisor. She assists in overseeing 19 academic departments, 65 full-time faculty members, and more than 1,400 students.

As Wingate's provost, Hunt will serve as the chief academic officer and be in charge of all academic programs on the university's two campuses. In addition to the academic disciplines, included in the provost's functional areas of oversight and responsibility are accreditation compliance, institutional effectiveness and assessment, student engagement and advising, the Office of the Registrar, and the library. Additionally, Hunt will lead the Provost Council and serve on the President's Cabinet.

"I'm most excited for Laura to join the Wingate team," says Dr. Rhett Brown, Wingate's president. "Her intellect, curiosity and enthusiasm are apparent, and I am confident she will lead our academic division with creativity, integrity and courage. A collaborative bridge-builder, Laura's talents will most certainly contribute to Wingate's positive momentum and our efforts to serve the region as a Lab of Difference-Making. Her references were glowing and confirmed the committee's impression of her great potential."

At Georgetown College, Hunt was instrumental in developing a new teaching and learning center, training faculty advisors and coordinating academic advising efforts, researching and writing a strategic plan for student retention, and spearheading other initiatives to support student success. Hunt's honors and awards are extensive, including numerous recognitions for teaching excellence, service, work with teaching technologies, and mentorship. In 2022 she won the Curry Award for Faculty Excellence for service to faculty, excellence in scholarship, and dedication to students.

Hunt feels her greatest skills are emotional intelligence and diplomacy. She appreciates everyone's unique perspective and works to bring people together to reach a common goal.

"I love to be with people and try new things," Hunt says. "My family laughs at me because I want to know everyone's story. I would say that building relationships is a huge motivator for me."

"Laura impressed me at each step of the interview process and struck me as an excellent communicator and collaborator," says Dr. Matt Davis, faculty senate chair who served on the search committee. "With her range of responsibilities in the academic division at Georgetown College, she is well equipped to hit the ground running at Wingate and serve as a fierce advocate for the academic division here. Laura also has a clear track record of creative problem-solving to improve work-life for faculty and staff alike, seeking to level advising loads and share the academic housework to maintain gender equity, among other initiatives. I'm excited to see her dynamic energy and collaborative spirit further enhance Wingate University."

After graduating from Furman University in 2002, Hunt attended the University of Kentucky for her master's and doctoral degrees in Hispanic Studies.

While in graduate school as a teaching assistant, Hunt fell in love with the teaching profession. As her career progressed, she took on more administrative duties and realized she loved trying new, creative ways to improve higher education. Hunt draws parallels between many of the students Georgetown College and Wingate serve: Pell Grant recipients and students who are the first in their families to get a college degree.

"Wingate gives students a strong academic base, leadership skills, a strong ethical foundation, a heart for service, and an understanding of their place in a global community. I think that's the winning combination that Wingate provides," Hunt says. "It's really important to me that every student has access to all that Wingate has to offer. I want all students to reach their greatest potential and go on to be agents of positive change in the world."

Hunt takes over for Dr. Jeff Frederick, who left in May to become the president of Drury University in Missouri. Since Frederick's departure, Dr. Eric Schneider has served as interim provost, a role he will continue to fill until Hunt's arrival next year.

July 30, 2024

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