The President-elect

We sat down to learn more about Dr. Thomas — and why she is excited to officially begin on July 1, 2023.

Q: What initially attracted you to the opportunity of becoming North Central’s 11th president?

A: There are a number of things, but most of all the strength of the College and its reputation, its embeddedness within the Naperville community, and the host of alumni who are making changes in the world are factors that made this an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

Q: What have you learned so far about the Cardinal family?

A: The sense of community is really strong here. I had the opportunity to go through three rounds of interviews, where I met students, faculty, staff, members of the community, and the Board of Trustees. The universal answer to the question “What makes North Central great?” was that sense of community and family.

Q: What perspectives will your previous experiences in higher education provide to you in your role as president?

A: I’m a faculty member at heart. I’m so inspired by young people who bring their hopes and dreams to college to be launched, and by the awesome responsibility that faculty get to have in the classroom to help students find their career paths.

I’ve had a very traditional academic leadership trajectory, so I understand the challenges of being on the front line with students and faculty as a department chair. Serving as a dean helped me see the broader administrative perspective. Then, serving as a provost and chief academic officer has really helped me, not only to better understand academics, but to think about the role of academics within the larger organization. I will bring all these lenses and perspectives with me as I step into this next role.

Q: How does your perspective as a psychologist influence you as a leader?

A: It helps me understand human dynamics and group relationships. My research was focused on identity and diversity, so I have a good sense of the developmental process and how important it is for all of us to learn about