Concord University Presidential Transition

Dr. Bethany Meighen

Dr. Bethany Meighen serves as the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of North Carolina System, where she is the chief student affairs officer and a key liaison between the UNC System Office and its 17 constituent institutions. In this role, she provides strategic leadership on a wide range of student-focused initiatives, ensuring that policies and programs support student success, financial aid, admissions, student development, curricular matters, and student health and behavioral health.

Dr. Meighen works closely with campus leaders, state committees, and educational agencies to shape policies related to minimum admissions standards, course requirements, transfer students and adult learners, and student support services. Her leadership plays a critical role in advancing student access, retention, degree completion, and overall academic excellence within the UNC System.

Dr. Meighen began her career in higher education at the University of Charleston, WV where she served as a graduate assistant in Student Life before transitioning into a full-time role as the Director of Alumni Relations. This position held special meaning for her, as her mother was a Morris Harvey College graduate, the institution’s name before becoming the University of Charleston.

With a strong background in higher education administration, Dr. Meighen holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Charleston and earned her Ed.D. from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to fostering access to education and enhancing the student experience through policy development, institutional collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.

Dr. Meighan will officially take office on July 01, 2025, but has already begun working with the transition committee in preparation.