Cameron McCoy, Ph.D.
Cameron J. McCoy, Ph.D., joined Shenandoah as its second provost in July 2021. Dr. McCoy brings a unique perspective to the role, with leadership experience honed in not only educational administration, but also the military, nonprofits, and the private sector.
McCoy is a sought-after business lecturer, presenter, student adviser and educational consultant. He is also a researcher whose work is focused on the boundary spanning functions at the intersection of university-industry-government.
He came to Shenandoah after serving as vice president and vice provost for strategic initiatives in support of the president, provost, and vice president for administration at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, starting in 2014. In the role his responsibilities were threefold. First, to grow sustainable financial and value-based external and internal relationships that positioned Lehigh for a transformative future. Second, to proactively shape the Lehigh experience for learners and extend that experience over a lifetime. Third, to foster strategic institutional culture shift and maximize return on resources through consultative design and implementation of wide-ranging innovation initiatives.
During his time at Lehigh, his team collaborated to launch the Lehigh University Student Scholars Institute (LUSSI), a structured career development pathway customized for 100% of Lehigh’s first-generation students, low-income, and underrepresented groups to support their unique career needs. This program was awarded the INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award in 2020. Additionally, under his leadership, Lehigh launched a first of its kind evolutionary College of Health which included collaboration with a major regional (PA) health organization to develop educational and research pathways in data-informed public health, medicine and business degree programs, and faculty-driven innovation.
Prior to joining Lehigh, he was executive director reporting to the vice president for strategic planning and economic development (VPSPED) at the University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma. During his tenure at Oklahoma, which began in 2007, he also served as Executive Director of OU’s first Corporate Engagement Office as well as its Director of Marketing and Public Relations for VPSPED. In 2014, he was named one of Oklahoma magazine’s “40 under 40.” He earned his Ph.D. (interdisciplinary; focused on economics, educational administration and sociology) and Master of Arts in liberal studies/administrative leadership from the University of Oklahoma. He also earned three bachelor’s degrees – history, social studies and architectural studies – at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.
McCoy transitioned to a career in higher education after working in the private sector for several years as a regional manager for Simon Property Group in Dallas, Texas, as well as a senior manager for TXU Energy Group, also in Dallas.
Both before and concurrent with his retail career and the early years of his time at the University of Oklahoma, he was an officer in the U.S. Army, serving on active duty from 1998-2001 and 2003-2004, and with the Army National Guard from 2001-2003 and 2004-2009.
Since 2014, he has served on the board of the University-Industry Innovation Network. A few of his current affiliations include the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (Vice Chair), Workforce Relevance of Liberal Arts Taskforce with MIT J-WEL, Service 2 School, and Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE).
McCoy is a graduate of the Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership and the OU Economic Development Institute. McCoy served as an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow at George Mason University and Southern New Hampshire University.
Originally from Oregon, Cameron enjoys camping, hiking, petting all of the dogs, and spending time with his family.
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