Presidential Profile

Thomas A. Kazee is the University of Evansville's 23rd President. A political scientist, Kazee served for 18 years on the faculty at Davidson College, including a decade as Chair of the Department of Political Science, and four years as Dean of the College at the University of the South (Sewanee). Prior to coming to UE, he served as Provost and Executive Vice President at Furman University. He received a B.A. in political science from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, in 1974, and a Ph.D. in political science from Ohio State University in 1978.

As the author of numerous journal articles and editor of Who Runs for Congress: Ambition, Context and Candidate Emergence, his work has been influential in shaping an understanding of American congressional election outcomes. A passionate advocate for the liberal arts, Kazee won Davidson's prestigious Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award, chaired one of Davidson's most highly regarded academic departments, and served as NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative.

As chief academic officer at Sewanee and Furman, Kazee's work focused primarily on curricular development, facilities enhancement, sustainability, and strategic planning. During his time at Furman, the University fundamentally reshaped its curriculum and academic calendar. He also led the planning, assisted with fundraising, and oversaw construction of Furman's Charles H. Townes Center for Science, and helped to lead the development of a far-reaching plan for institutional sustainability.

At UE, Kazee has led development of the institution's strategic plan, "Transforming Tomorrow: Our Students, Our University, Our World." The plan builds on the University's widely acknowledged areas of distinctive strength and its fundamental commitment to the integration of the liberal arts and professional programs. "Transforming Tomorrow" identifies a number of core goals for the University, including curricular enrichment, expansion of international programs, and growing the resource base necessary to support its institutional ambitions. The plan also emphasizes UE's commitment to diversity, sustainability, and service, three areas of social responsibility central to the University's mission. He is now directing a focused and systematic implementation of the plan, activities which include adoption of a revised general education curriculum, development of a new facilities master plan and integrated marketing plan, enhancement of the University's web presence, and adoption of a detailed plan for increasing international engagement.

He is married to Dr. Sharon Kazee, the former Vice President for Arts and Academics and Dean at the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. She holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of South Carolina. They have two children; a daughter, Nicole, who is the Director of Health Policy for the University of Illinois, and a son, Geoff;, who is a turf management specialist in Rockville, Maryland.