Biography
Dr. Stephen Germic is a scholar, teacher, and academic leader who has built his career around a single conviction: that a college’s purpose is the transformation of its students. Named interim president of Kentucky Wesleyan College in 2026, he brings to the role more than a decade of senior leadership at mission-driven liberal arts colleges, along with a deep belief in the close, personal education that defines the Wesleyan experience.
Dr. Germic joined Kentucky Wesleyan in September 2024 as Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and quickly became the driving force behind the most significant academic transformation in the College’s recent history. He led the faculty-approved shift to a four-credit-hour model, launching in Fall 2027, that redesigns the undergraduate experience around deeper engagement, hands-on learning, and the kind of close faculty-student interaction that prepares graduates for life beyond college. As he has described it, the change is fundamentally about outcomes: students who write more, present more, and graduate with the communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills that employers and graduate schools value most.
He also guided the launch of five new MBA specializations in high-demand fields — artificial intelligence, business analytics, cybersecurity, finance, and healthcare administration — each grounded in market research and designed to prepare graduates for careers of the future. That work, alongside the College’s expanding graduate programs and growing athletics, reflects an institution moving forward with clarity and confidence.
Before coming to Owensboro, Dr. Germic served as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he led a comprehensive redesign of the academic program around student-centered, experiential learning and secured a federal grant to establish a new Center for Teaching Excellence. He also served as the College’s interim president during a leadership transition, guiding Aquinas to a positive fiscal balance while strengthening enrollment.
Earlier, as Provost and Academic Vice President at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, Dr. Germic oversaw all academic functions and led the development of new graduate programs in the health sciences, including a Doctor of Occupational Therapy program and a Doctor of Medical Science online program, that produced significant growth and lasting fiscal stability. Throughout his career he has been recognized for building the trust necessary to lead change, grounded in transparency, shared governance, and respect for the work of faculty and staff.
A dedicated teacher as well as an administrator, Dr. Germic has taught at least one course nearly every semester of his career as a senior leader, believing that direct involvement in student learning is among the most rewarding parts of his work. He has held faculty and leadership appointments at institutions across the United States and internationally, including the American University in Cairo and the American University in Dubai. He is also a respected voice in higher education accreditation, having served for years as a peer evaluator and team chair for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
A scholar of American literature, Dr. Germic is the author of American Green: Class, Crisis, and the Deployment of Nature in Central Park, Yosemite, and Yellowstone, along with numerous articles, reviews, and works of poetry and creative nonfiction. Known on campus for his daily walks and his commitment to staying connected to students and faculty alike, he has made personal engagement a hallmark of his leadership since his first week at the College.
Dr. Germic holds a Ph.D. in American Literature from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Albion College.
Achievements
Education
- Ph.D. in American Literature from Wayne State University
- B.A. in English from Albion College