JOHNSON CITY – (May 5, 2021) Following an extensive national search, Kimberly D. McCorkle, J.D. has been named as the new Provost and Senior Vice President for Academics at East Tennessee State University.  She will assume this role in July, succeeding Dr. Wilsie S. Bishop, who is retiring at the end of June following forty-three years of distinguished service to the university.
McCorkle comes to ETSU from the University of West Florida, where she has spent the past nineteen years and currently serves as Vice Provost and Professor.  She was named Interim Vice Provost in 2017 and assumed the role on a permanent basis the following year.

“I am honored to join ETSU as Provost at such an important time in the university’s history,” McCorkle said.  “As we move forward with our strategic visioning process, I am dedicated to supporting our outstanding faculty as we continue to focus on the mission of supporting student success while providing high quality academic programs and advancing our research contributions.”

As Vice Provost at UWF, McCorkle holds responsibility for academic program development and oversight, strategic planning efforts, faculty development, accreditation and institutional effectiveness, undergraduate research, student grievance processes, and compliance and policy review.  In addition, she has served as the university’s SACSCOC liaison and has managed all institutional accreditation efforts.

“Since the mid-1990s, the role of ETSU’s chief academic officer has been held by only two people – Dr. Bert C. Bach and Dr. Wilsie Bishop – both of whom are legends in Tennessee higher education,” ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland said.  “Now, a new era begins under the leadership of Kimberly McCorkle, and we are very fortunate to have her as part of our campus community, particularly with the level of expertise and experience she brings in program development, accreditation, student research and faculty development. She will be a tremendous asset to ETSU as the work of the Committee for 125 Chapter Two advances and new opportunities and initiatives for the institution are identified.”

Her recent major accomplishments include the implementation of ten new academic programs in areas of strategic emphasis as identified by the Florida Board of Governors, and leading university-wide efforts to implement a 2+2 articulation agreement with Pensacola State College. McCorkle assisted with UWF’s efforts to be recognized in the Florida State University System Performance Based Funding allocations in 2018 and 2019, and she led the collaborative effort to create the 2017-2022 UWF Academic Affairs Strategic Plan.

She spent seven years with the UWF College of Education and Professional Studies, including three years as associate dean and another three as an assistant dean.   For fifteen years, McCorkle held a faculty appointment in criminal justice and legal studies, and, prior to moving to the Office of the Provost, served as Chair and Professor in the Department of Legal Studies, Public Administration, and Sport Management. While serving in college and departmental leadership roles, she continued to teach and act as faculty sponsor for the UWF Mock Trial Team, which she led for over fifteen years.

Notable awards and honors presented to McCorkle include the National Science Foundation UWF ADVANCE Faculty Scholar, Escambia County Domestic Violence Coalition Outstanding Service Award and the UWF Mary Rogers Outstanding Women’s Studies Faculty Award.

A noted criminal justice scholar, McCorkle is the author of the textbook, “American Homicide (2nd ed.),” published by SAGE Publications.  Her research has been featured in such scholarly journals as The Journal of Higher Education Management, Homicide Studies, Southern Journal of Business and Ethics, Policing: An International Journal of Police Management and Strategies and American Journal of Criminal Justice.

“Kimberly McCorkle has made substantial contributions during her time at UWF and will be dearly missed,” said Dr. Martha Saunders, UWF President.  “She is ready for the next step in her professional journey.  I am confident she will be successful.”
Dr. Keith Johnson, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, and search committee chair said, “Kimberly was chosen from a major national search that yielded the names of many highly qualified applicants.  Her deep respect for the role of the faculty and her passion for student success resonated with the committee immediately. She has an impressive record of success throughout her nineteen-year career at the University of West Florida.”

McCorkle is a graduate of Louisiana State University, where she earned a B.A. degree in English and was selected for Phi Beta Kappa.  She later earned her J.D. degree from the University of Florida College of Law. Before joining UWF in a faculty role, she practiced criminal law as a prosecutor and defense attorney.