University of Montevallo president announces plans to step down in July

Dr. John W. Stewart III, president of the University of Montevallo (UM), has announced his intention to step away from the position at the end of July.

Stewart, the 15th UM president, is the second-longest-serving president in the 128-year history of the university. He was inaugurated as UM president on Oct. 14, 2010.

“Cindi and I are incredibly grateful to the UM community for so many wonderful years together,” Stewart said. “We appreciate the many meaningful relationships we’ve enjoyed with our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and we wish the Montevallo family all the best in the future.”

As UM president, Stewart strengthened the university’s core mission by focusing on the expansion of new academic and athletic programs, promoting increased opportunities for interdisciplinary studies and increasing funding for faculty salaries and development as well as new academic buildings and facilities on campus. UM also saw an increase in first-year freshman and transfer applications and the number of students living on campus during Stewart’s tenure as president.

Under Stewart’s leadership, the university has added numerous programs to grow enrollment. He started the Outdoor Scholars program, which includes a bass fishing team that has won four consecutive Bass Pro Shops School of the Year titles, and the Montevallo MADE program, which has seen a 90% retention rate, among others.

Stewart was actively engaged in both the public and private sectors and has been widely recognized for his service to Alabama. In 2015, the Birmingham Business Alliance named him a CEO of the Year finalist and awarded him the Vulcans Community Award for Outstanding New Leadership.

Before arriving at Montevallo, Stewart served as vice president for institutional advancement at Flagler College. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University with a master’s from Washington College and a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi.

The UM Board of Trustees will begin the search for Stewart’s successor.

This story originally appeared on the University of Montevallo’s website.