March 23, 2020
Dr. Carol A. Moore announced her decision to step down as president of Columbia College after four years in the top leadership role. During her tenure, Dr. Moore helped Columbia College strengthen its mission of providing a strong liberal arts education and professional programs emphasizing service, social justice, and leadership development.
“The Columbia College family thanks President Moore for her tireless effort to make our school a special place for so many. She has taken on re-positioning Columbia College with leadership and strength,” Board of Trustees Chair Toby Goodlett said. “Since her arrival in September 2016, Dr. Moore has been invaluable to our mission. We respect her decision to step away at this time to care for her family and her health and we want to express our appreciation for her unwavering dedication to our school and mission,” Goodlett said.
The extraordinary planning necessary for a smooth transition to becoming a coeducational college, exacerbated by the challenges facing senior management to provide a comprehensive response to COVID 19, convinced the Board of Trustees to consider a familiar voice to lead. Former President, Dr. Peter Mitchell will serve as the interim President, effective immediately while the board starts a search for a permanent president.
As former President of Columbia College from 1988-97, Dr. Mitchell has a passion for the school and an understanding of and appreciation for the leadership role the College plays in South Carolina. During his tenure the Women’s Leadership Institute was established, the Johnnie Cordell Breed Leadership Center was built and Mitchell helped secure funding for the Barbara Bush Center for Science & Technology. For the past 13 years, Dr. Mitchell has served as a consultant to college and university trustees and presidents in the areas of strategic planning, enrollment management, and fundraising.
“Dr. Mitchell worked with Dr. Moore for four years and they have remained friends for decades. We have no doubt this transition will be seamless and the students and staff will be thrilled to have Dr. Mitchell’s excitement and energy on campus,” Goodlett said.
ABOUT COLUMBIA COLLEGE
Columbia College was founded in 1854 as Columbia Female College by the Methodist Conference of South Carolina. The College, located on Plain Street, now Hampton, in Columbia, SC, opened to students in October 1859. Columbia College continues to serve as an institution for higher education with approximately 1,200 male and female students in both undergraduate and graduate courses.
