Presidents
Since its beginning in 1918, the institution now known as Lee University has been led by a succession of seventeen individuals in the role of President, a position previously titled "Superintendent" for the first two decades of the school. With the beginning of a junior college program in 1941, the institution's structure changed and the position name was changed to President in 1942. The method for selection the school's leader varied in the earlier years. At one time, the Superintendent was elected by the Church of God General Assembly upon nomination by the denomination's Executive Council. With the structural changes of the Bible Training School when the Junior College began in the fall of 1941, the earlier denominational “Board of Education” transitioned into an institutional Board of Directors whose role included selecting the President.
The first Superintendent was A. J. Tomlinson, who had oversight of the Bible Training School by virtue of his office as general overseer of the Church of God. Structural changes in the denomination in 1922 led to the creation of a three-man Executive Council. One of those three positions was a Superintendent of Education, and F. J. Lee was elected to fill that role, thus becoming the school's leader.
In 1920, J. B. Ellis joined Nora Chambers as an instructor and was named principal of the school. He served for two years in this role before resigning due to ill health. Then, in 1923, Ellis was called back to lead the Bible Training School as Superintendent when F. J. Lee was elected to serve as general overseer of the Church of God. Ellis was elected by the General Assembly as Superintendent and served for one year before again stepping aside again due to ill health.
Earl M. Tapley was selected as Acting President for a few months in early 1951 until another president could be appointed.
The longest serving President has been Charles Paul Conn, whose tenure spanned from 1986 to 2020 and during whose leadership the institution experienced exponential growth and development.
Mark L. Walker was appointed President of Lee University in 2020.
The first Superintendent was A. J. Tomlinson, who had oversight of the Bible Training School by virtue of his office as general overseer of the Church of God. Structural changes in the denomination in 1922 led to the creation of a three-man Executive Council. One of those three positions was a Superintendent of Education, and F. J. Lee was elected to fill that role, thus becoming the school's leader.
In 1920, J. B. Ellis joined Nora Chambers as an instructor and was named principal of the school. He served for two years in this role before resigning due to ill health. Then, in 1923, Ellis was called back to lead the Bible Training School as Superintendent when F. J. Lee was elected to serve as general overseer of the Church of God. Ellis was elected by the General Assembly as Superintendent and served for one year before again stepping aside again due to ill health.
Earl M. Tapley was selected as Acting President for a few months in early 1951 until another president could be appointed.
The longest serving President has been Charles Paul Conn, whose tenure spanned from 1986 to 2020 and during whose leadership the institution experienced exponential growth and development.
Mark L. Walker was appointed President of Lee University in 2020.
YEARS OF TENURE |
NAME |
1918 - 1922 |
A. J. Tomlinson |
1922 - 1923 |
|
1923 - 1924 |
|
1924 - 1930 |
|
1930 - 1935; 1944 - 1945 |
|
1935 - 1944 |
|
1945 - 1948 |
|
1948 - 1951 1 |
|
1951 - 1952 |
|
1952 - 1957 |
|
1957 - 1960 |
|
1960 - 1966; 1982 - 1984 |
|
1966 - 1970 |
|
1970 - 1982 |
|
1984 - 1986 |
|
1986 - 2020 |
|
2020 - Present |
1 Earl M. Tapley served as Acting President for half a year in 1951 until a new president was appointed.