Office of the Provost
Amy Thompson, Ph.D., was named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Wright State University on June 1, 2022.
Thompson had previously served as the senior vice provost of academic affairs and acting dean of the College of Graduate Studies at the University of Toledo
Her strong leadership background, diverse academic experience, and passion for student, faculty and staff success made Thompson highly qualified to serve as Wright State’s provost, President Sue Edwards, Ph.D., said in an email to the university community after Thompson was hired. “Dr. Thompson brings an energy and enthusiasm to the work of the Office of Provost,” Edwards said. Throughout her campus interactions, Edwards said, “Dr. Thompson demonstrated a positive, forward-looking vision.”
“After visiting campus, it is evident that Wright State provides a transformative experience for students and contributes to the development of the region,” Thompson said. “To me, there’s no greater calling than to expand educational opportunities and access for everyone and to improve where you live.”
Thompson has more than a decade of administrative experience in higher education. Her leadership roles in both academic and faculty affairs have provided her with experience in supervising both undergraduate and graduate curriculum, accreditation, assessment, classroom services and technology, and leading a variety of faculty-related work.
Thompson served as the senior vice provost of academic affairs at the University of Toledo from August 2020 until coming to Wright State and was acting dean of Toledo’s College of Graduate Studies for her final 11 months there. She was accountable for all curricular and program approval for both undergraduate and graduate programs and oversaw multiple divisions with a combined budget of $27 million.
She chaired the university’s COVID-19 Pandemic Operations Team and the Ohio Inter-University Council Reopening Task Force and served as the university’s liaison to the Ohio Department of Higher Education and Chancellor’s Council on Graduate Studies.
From 2018 to 2020, Thompson served as Toledo’s vice provost and associate provost of faculty affairs, maintaining effective faculty and administrative relations for over 1,100 full-time and 850 part-time faculty.
She joined the Toledo faculty in 2008 and was promoted to professor of public health in 2013.
Thompson also served as director of the university’s public health Ph.D. program and was the founding co-director of the Center for Health and Successful Living, which serves cancer survivors from underrepresented groups and provides learning opportunities for students.
As a former president of Toledo’s faculty senate, she gained experience in facilitating shared governance and negotiation.
During a yearlong Presidential Fellowship in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, she engaged with every function of sponsored programs, including technology transfer and patents, while leading the office’s strategic planning process.
Prior to joining Toledo, she served as assistant professor of health education at Kent State University, assistant professor of health education at Mississippi State University, and director of education and research at the Ohio Coalition in Toledo.
She served as the national president of Eta Sigma Gamma (National Health Education Honorary) and is the current president of the Society for Health Education (National Public Health Professional Association).
Thompson has published more than 75 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters, has given over 150 professional peer-reviewed presentations, and secured $1.7 million in grant funding.
Thompson earned a Ph.D. in health education, with a minor in public administration, and a master of education in public health from the University of Toledo, and a bachelor’s degree in community health and health promotion, with a minor in family life and human sexuality, from Central Michigan University.
