Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, to be Loyola’s next provost and vice president for academic affairs

Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, has been named Loyola University Maryland’s next provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Moore-Thomas, who was selected after a national search, has served as the University’s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs since July 2021. She begins in the role effective immediately.

A longtime resident of Baltimore, Moore-Thomas will become the first Loyola graduate to serve as provost of the University. Before earning her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Maryland at College Park, Dr. Moore-Thomas earned both her B.A. in Elementary Education summa cum laude and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from Loyola. Two of her siblings and her father also graduated from Loyola.

“With her strong ties to Loyola, Dr. Moore-Thomas is truly one of our own—and I look forward to seeing all she can bring to the work that lies ahead,” said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. “I have confidence that she will partner with faculty and other colleagues in strengthening the exceptional, rigorous liberal arts education Loyola delivers to our students. She brings to the role a dynamic vision that builds on Loyola’s strengths and recognizes the opportunities we can embrace moving forward.”

Prior to assuming the interim provost role, Dr. Moore-Thomas has served as associate dean of the School of Education, chair of the Education Specialties department, associate vice president for faculty affairs and diversity, associate vice president for graduate academic affairs and diversity, and as the University’s inaugural chief equity and inclusion officer.

After joining the Loyola faculty as an assistant professor of education in 2001, Dr. Moore-Thomas earned tenure in 2007 and was promoted to full professor of education in 2017.

“It is my honor to work alongside President Sawyer, the Board of Trustees, the Cabinet, and Loyola’s tremendous team of dedicated and talented faculty, staff, students, and administrators to help Loyola meet this moment and chart the course for our future and the continuation of our journey in excellence,” said Moore-Thomas. “Together, we have the opportunity to set and realize a vision and academic priorities aligned with the University’s vision, mission, and strategic plan; and to help to co-create a bold new path for Loyola and its next chapter in the story of Jesuit, liberal arts education in Baltimore and beyond.”

Moore-Thomas began her career as a teacher and school counselor in the Montgomery County Public Schools. An accomplished scholar, professor, and advocate for faculty development, Dr. Moore-Thomas has been involved in strategic planning at Loyola, participated in the Ignatian Colleagues Program, and traveled on the Ignatian Pilgrimage.

“I believe higher education faces a liminal moment,” Moore-Thomas said. “Provosts must lead their academic teams while simultaneously casting the vision and laying the framework for bold work for perhaps a very different tomorrow. No institution is better positioned to address the challenges that higher education faces today and the opportunities it must unlock for the students of tomorrow—and get it right—than Loyola University Maryland.”

Author of the book, College and Career Readiness: A Guide for School Counselors K-12, published in 2019, Moore-Thomas received Loyola’s Inaugural Graduate Teaching Award in 2017. She serves on the boards of Marian House, Archbishop Borders School, and the Carroll County Community College Psychology Department Advisory Board.

“As a leader with a demonstrated record of achievement and collaboration, Dr. Moore-Thomas brings to her work a commitment to faculty and students—and to Jesuit, liberal arts education,” said Ed Hanway, ’74, chair of the Academic Affairs Committee for the Board of Trustees, who chaired the provost search. “In addition to knowing the challenges and opportunities Loyola faces, Dr. Moore-Thomas has a real depth of understanding of the issues facing the higher education landscape today. We will be looking to her for that insight and expertise as she takes on this critical leadership role.”