22 Apr 2024 Hendrix College names new provost

CONWAY  — Hendrix College has named Dr. Teresa A. Garrett as Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost of the College.

Garrett will join the Hendrix community on July 1 and comes to Hendrix from Sweet Briar College in Virginia, where she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College and is a faculty member of the Department of Chemistry.

“We are excited and fortunate to welcome Dr. Garrett to the Hendrix community as Provost. As an accomplished scholar, teacher, and leader, she will add tremendous value to our leadership team and to our work in Academic Affairs as we plan for the future of the College,” said Hendrix College President Karen Petersen.

Garrett was selected by President Petersen after a national search led by Academic Search, Inc., and a local committee including faculty, staff, alumni, and a student representative. 

“I am grateful to our campus search committee for their diligent and thoughtful deliberation during this critical process. Their care and concern for finding the best fit for our next Provost was essential to our success,” Petersen added. 

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Garrett to Hendrix,” said Professor of History Dr. Sasha Pfau, who co-chaired the search committee. “She comes to us with extensive experience as a faculty member and administrator at small, residential liberal arts colleges. At Sweet Briar, her role as Vice President of Academic Affairs included oversight of Student Affairs, so she brings important knowledge and expertise that will help us holistically integrate those pieces of the student experience.”

As Sweet Briar’s chief academic officer, Garrett worked with colleagues to revise 17 academic programs and develop a new Leadership in Sustainable Agriculture certificate program. She led the development of a Summer Arts Retreat with writing, sound design, photography, and dance courses, and the integration of the school’s greenhouse into the academic program with community-supported agriculture and a farmer’s market. In addition to overseeing Student Affairs, she also worked closely with the college’s alumni engagement, development, and enrollment teams to achieve the institution’s fundraising and student recruitment goals. Prior to her tenure at Sweet Briar, Garrett was Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Chemistry at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. 

“I am so honored to get to work with the talented and committed Hendrix community as Provost,” said Garrett. “I am thrilled to work with President Petersen and her team to build on Hendrix’s legacy of academic excellence, commitment to the liberal arts, and dedication to engaged learning that positively impacts the lives of students. I can’t wait to get started!”

Garrett earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from Florida State University and her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Duke University, where she also taught as an assistant research professor.  

She will succeed Interim Provost Dr. David Sutherland, who is retiring at the end of this academic year after 32 years at Hendrix. A professor of mathematics, Sutherland served for 20 years as the College’s associate provost for academic affairs. 

“Dr. Sutherland’s institutional knowledge has been a tremendous asset as we prepare for this transition,” Petersen said. “I am grateful for his service this past year as Interim Provost and congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement after a distinguished career at Hendrix.”