Coker College Names New President

Hartsville, S.C. - The Board of Trustees of Coker College has named Robert L. Wyatt, Ph.D., the 16th president of the college. Wyatt is currently Dean of the Breech School of Business Administration at Drury University in Springfield, Mo. He succeeds B. James Dawson, Ed.D., who is retiring in June after serving seven years as president.

"Dr. Wyatt is exceptionally qualified to be the next president of Coker College," said Charles Sullivan, chair of the college's board of trustees. "His background and career achievements make him the ideal choice to lead Coker to even greater success as the college begins its second century of excellence in higher education."

Wyatt began directing the daily operations of the business school at Drury, a mid-sized university of 5,500 students, including 1,600 undergraduates, in 2001. Among his accomplishments Wyatt launched the Edward Jones Center for Entrepreneurship, reaffirmed accreditation by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, and successfully revised the curriculum with a focus on international study and internships. Wyatt also secured approval for Drury's plan to earn accreditation next year from the Association to Advance College Schools of Business. Business administration is the largest undergraduate major at Drury.

For a short time, Wyatt served as Drury University's Associate Dean for the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies. He began teaching at Drury in 1996, during which time he was named a Sam Walton Fellow and co-founded the university's acclaimed Students In Free Enterprise program. Prior to that, he was the Dean of the McAfee School of Business Administration at Union University in Jackson, Tenn.

In 2007, Wyatt was selected as one of 37 American Council on Education Fellows to participate in a year-long distinguished higher education leadership development program. He was placed at Hendrix College in Arkansas where he worked closely with the college administration in faculty governance, fundraising, enrollment management, and institutional advancement.

Wyatt's other professional honors include the Leavey Award for Excellence in Free Enterprise Education, induction into the Students In Free Enterprise Hall of Fame, and inclusion in "Who's Who Among American College Teachers." He is also a recipient of the Jack Kahl Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, named for the visionary CEO and author of the book "Leading from the Heart."

Wyatt holds a Ph.D. in accounting from the University of Memphis (1993), a master's degree in accounting from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (1989), and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas (1983). Wyatt and his wife, Nancy, have a nine-year old daughter, Lara.

"Dr. Wyatt is a leader of the highest caliber," said Coker College trustee Karen Lear, who chaired the presidential search committee. "This search process was very competitive and everyone involved feels strongly that he will be an asset to the institution."

Coleman Lew & Associates of Charlotte, N.C., assisted Coker College in its presidential search.
Coker is an independent, comprehensive liberal arts college founded in 1908. The living and learning environment at Coker fosters participation in the community of scholarship and the development of ethical character, leadership skills and social responsibility. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Coker one of "America's Best Colleges." The Princeton Review rates Coker a "Best Southeastern College" based on academic reputation and student satisfaction.