Blum Malley selected as Methodist University's next president

By Staff Report, posted Jun 16, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

MU Provost & Executive Vice President Suzanne Blum Malley, Ph.D.
Photo provided by: MU

The Methodist University Board of Trustees announced today, Tuesday, June, 16 the appointment of MU Provost & Executive Vice President Suzanne Blum Malley, Ph.D., as the University’s sixth president. She will assume the chief executive role July 1, 2027, when sitting President Stanley T. Wearden, Ph.D. retires.

Blum Malley brings more than 35 years of experience in higher education and a distinguished record of executive leadership at private, mission-driven institutions. A professor of Rhetoric and Writing studies, Blum Malley joined the University in January 2020 from Columbia College Chicago, where she held administrative and faculty positions. Wearden, who announced his retirement plan in February, began his MU presidency Jan. 1, 2019.

“We are thrilled that Provost Blum Malley accepted our offer to succeed President Wearden,” said Timothy “Tim” S. Richardson, chair of the MU Board of Trustees in a press release. “Over the next year, they will work closely to prepare a seamless changeover to her administration. This extended transition period creates an extra measure of stability for the University community.”

A board-led candidacy committee managed the search for Wearden’s successor, collecting input from across the University community, following the MU model for shared governance and establishing search criteria and a succession plan. Specifically, the University sought a leader with a deep understanding of higher education trends; financial expertise; and a focus on collaboration, innovation and constant improvement, among other qualifications.

"Blum Malley fulfilled every priority area and beyond," said Candidacy Committee Chair Jennifer Elam in a press release. As chief academic officer, the provost has helped lead innovations including 24 online programs, new opportunities for transfer students, and the University’s new medical school, announced in 2023 and opening for its first class of students next month.

“She has done it all while building trust and welcoming voices throughout MU in essential discussions,” Elam continued. “Provost Blum Malley is a thoughtful, purpose-driven leader with a holistic approach that keeps student success at the forefront. Her results speak for themselves.”

Under Blum Malley as provost, the University implemented partnership agreements with six area community colleges, revamped the general education core curriculum, and approved a dozen new academic programs in high-demand areas. Since 2020, retention at MU is up 10 percentage points among first-time, full-time freshmen; 17 percentage points among Pell Grant-eligible students; and 22 percentage points among first-generation college students.

At the same time, transfer-student enrollment has climbed 46%. In fully online programs, non-traditional college students are enrolling in significant numbers: A third are affiliated with the military, and nearly three-quarters are over the age of 25. The University’s 4-, 5-, and 6-year graduation rates are up, as well.

“Methodist University has seen nothing short of transformative momentum under Provost Blum Malley and President Wearden,” said Harvey Wright, University board chair emeritus and a member of the presidential candidacy committee in a press release. “Their leadership partnership has made us stronger, opened more doors and emboldened our liberal arts foundation. Elevating Provost Blum Malley reinforces this successful path.”

Board members voted June 12 to approve and execute her new employment contract. A first-generation college graduate, Blum Malley also is the first woman appointed to the MU presidency. The state of North Carolina chartered the institution in November 1956 as a residential college of liberal arts and sciences.

“I believe that ethical institutions commit to serving their students, to meeting them where they are, and to making every effort to provide meaningful, whole-person educational and co-curricular experiences that prepare them to contribute to positive change in the world,” Blum Malley said in a press release. “I see that commitment at Methodist University, and I am honored to serve as its next president.”

MU will conduct a national search to identify a provost and executive vice president to succeed Blum Malley in that role. Wearden said she set a high bar for the position.

“Her ability to understand the landscape and anticipate needs is making an indelible difference for MU students and will do the same for countless students to come,” he said. “Her instincts, integrity, and love for the University will position the entire community to capitalize on our great strides.”

As president, Blum Malley will center enrollment growth, program excellence, and holistic student development and success; the University’s long-term financial sustainability; and proactive management of the full portfolio of programs and resources to ensure adaptation to fast-moving technological and societal demands. Her other priorities include integration of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine into the wider campus culture; reinforcement of the core mission of the University; and relationships among internal and external constituencies and partners.

“I am deeply honored and genuinely energized," Blum Malley said. "Methodist University has given so much to its students, its community, and to higher education in this region for nearly 70 years. I came to MU over six years ago because I believed in this institution’s mission and in the people doing the work every day. Earning the trust of the Board and this community to serve as the sixth president is something I carry with genuine humility and real determination. I am ready.”

Blum Malley earned her doctoral degree in Rhetoric and Composition studies from Northern Illinois University. At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Blum Malley received her master’s degree in Spanish Applied Linguistics and Hispanic Literatures as well as her bachelor’s degree in Spanish. She completed undergraduate concentrations in Business Administration and Cultural Anthropology.

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