John Paul “Jay” Dowd III, Ph.D., has been appointed as the new president at Wofford College. His tenure begins July 1, 2026. Dr. Dowd currently serves as president and chief executive officer of The Citadel Foundation, a position he’s held since 2013. Previously, Dr. Dowd served as vice president for development and executive director at the Francis Marion University Education Foundation, where he was a member of the senior staff and the college’s chief fundraiser. He also has served as vice president for advancement at Columbia College, assistant vice chancellor for university advancement at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and vice president for institutional advancement at Methodist College. In each community, he was a leader and collaborator, discovering a passion for service and building and sustaining relationships based on transparency, communication and respect. He is a graduate of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he earned a B.A. in history. He holds an M.Ed., with a focus on student personnel services, and a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of South Carolina. He has more than 30 years of experience in higher education strategy, fundraising, institutional advancement and executive leadership. Read more.