CAMPUS LIFE

AMSC Announces Dr. Marshall Thompson as Provost and Vice President for Student Success

May 29, 2026

Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Marshall Thompson as its next Provost and Vice President for Student Success, effective August 1, 2026. Dr. Thompson brings nineteen years of academic leadership, student-centered innovation, and institutional effectiveness expertise to the role.

"Dr. Marshall Thompson possesses an exceptional blend of academic leadership, strategic insight, and an unwavering commitment to student success. His record of strengthening academic quality, expanding student support systems, and fostering institutional excellence makes him the ideal leader for this moment in Atlanta Metropolitan State College's history," said Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers, President of Atlanta Metropolitan State College. "We are excited to welcome him to the Trailblazer family and look forward to the transformative impact he will have on our students, faculty, and community."

Thompson currently serves as Vice Provost for Academic Effectiveness at Norfolk State University, a comprehensive urban public institution enrolling more than 6,000 students across certificate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degree programs. In this role, he has led strategic university-wide initiatives that enhanced academic quality and expanded student support while supporting a culture of evidence-based decision making. His vita notes that he "supported the development and approval of new academic programs" and "oversaw institutional accreditation with SACSCOC and programmatic accreditations covering forty-seven programs, concentrations, and tracks."

A Record of Transformational Leadership

At Norfolk State University, Dr. Thompson has:

• Guided the creation and approval of new academic programs, including certificates in African American Studies, Cyberpsychology, Addictions and Trauma, and a bachelor's and a master's program.
• Supported the development of a fully reimagined general education curriculum.
• Represented the university to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), contributing to statewide policy discussions and the institution's Six-Year Plan.
• Directed two major Title III grant-funded initiatives focused on strengthening student learning and transforming general education.
• Led the university's SACSCOC accreditation portfolio, including the Fifth Year Interim Report and the launch of the decennial reaffirmation process.
• Oversaw assessment, Testing Services, Extended Learning, and the Center for Teaching and Learning, supporting more than 500 online course sections annually.
• Provided leadership in curriculum management, academic policy development, and faculty credentialing.

Extensive Experience in Academic Affairs and Student Success

Prior to his work at Norfolk State, Dr. Marshall Thompson served in multiple leadership roles at Northeastern Illinois University, including:

• Associate Provost and University Contract Administrator
• Chair of the Department of Political Science
• Coordinator of African and African American Studies

Scholarship and Academic Background

Dr. Thompson is also an accomplished scholar of political science whose research spans state consolidation, democratic institutions, and political economy. His publications include peer-reviewed articles in African and Asian Studies, PS: Political Science & Politics, and The Indiana Journal of Political Science. His vita includes work such as "The State, Property Rights, and the Middle Class" and "Parties, Presidents, and State Consolidation."

He earned his master's and Ph.D. in political science from Washington University in St. Louis in 2004 and 2007, respectively. He received a bachelor's degree in international studies from the University of South Carolina in 1997. Furthermore, Dr. Thompson also completed a SHRM-SCP certification as well as a certificate in Human Resources Competencies from DePaul University in 2023.

A Vision for Student Success

"I am honored to serve as Atlanta Metropolitan State College's next provost and vice president for student success," said Thompson. "The college will continue to advance as a vibrant learning environment, where students receive current and relevant instruction, preparing them for entry into the workforce or for further studies. Our students will benefit from high-impact instructional practices as well as effective advising and support. Together, we will navigate changing regional workforce needs and the continued evolution of higher education, promoting students' social mobility."

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