Gulley Appointed Executive Director of NAAMSCU

Published On: September 11, 2025

The Rev. Dr. Stuart Gulley has been named executive director of the North American Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities, effective September 1.

An association of educational institutions related to the historic Methodist and Wesleyan traditions, NAAMSCU works to advance the mission of member institutions and to share best practices for educating students for leadership and service to the world. The organization comprises 95 colleges and universities and 13 seminaries, 11 historically Black institutions and several private secondary schools.

the Rev. Dr. Stuart Gulley

The Rev. Dr. Stuart Gulley was named executive director of the North American Association for Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities.

“I am looking forward to working with Dr. Gulley in his new role,” said Christopher Holoman, president of Centenary College of Louisiana. “Several presidents of NAAMSCU member institutions worked with Stuart in his time at LaGrange College and are excited for the organization to benefit from his expertise and experience.”

In the part-time role, the Rev. Dr. Gulley will provide vision, strategic leadership and administrative oversight to support the organization.

“Assuming the role of executive director of the NAAMSCU feels like coming home,” said the Rev. Dr. Gulley. “When I served as president of LaGrange College, this organization was critical to my professional and personal development. I look forward to supporting association presidents in their work as we advance the critical value of United Methodist-related higher education.”

Since 2009, the Rev. Dr. Gulley served as president of Woodward Academy in Atlanta and retired on June 30 this year. Before that time, he was president of LaGrange (Georgia) College for 13 years, and recently he was named president emeritus of the institution.

His experience in higher education began at Emory University, where he spent a decade in various administrative roles, including the position of associate vice president for university development and church relations. He is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and earned a bachelor of arts in Modern European History from Vanderbilt University, a master of divinity from Emory University and a doctor of philosophy in Higher Education degree from Georgia State University.

The Rev. Dr. Gulley’s community involvement includes service with the Rotary Club of Atlanta and the boards of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance and Andrew College. He is a member of the board of directors of the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education, the Southern Association of Independent Schools and the Georgia United Methodist Higher Education Commission.

For six years running, he has been included among Atlanta Magazine’s list of the 500 Most Powerful Atlantans. He and his wife, Kathleen, have two adult children.

About NAAMSCU

The North American Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAAMSCU) is an association of educational institutions related to the historic Methodist and Wesleyan traditions. Learn more

Related Posts

  • Register Today for Exploration 2026
    Published On: June 2, 2026

    Discerning God’s call in your life and think that call may be to vocational ministry in The United Methodist Church? Exploration 2026 may offer the clarity you’ve been seeking. Exploration, a nationwide vocational discernment retreat hosted by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, is set for November 6-8, in Orlando, Florida. Registration is now open for adults 18 and older who are considering a call to vocational ministry. 

  • Scholarships Empower Graduates to Serve Communities, Answer Calls to Leadership
    Published On: May 28, 2026

    More than 470 scholarship recipients supported by The United Methodist Church’s General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) reached a major milestone this spring, earning degrees across disciplines ranging from theology and education to finance and science.

  • Grants Announced to Address Food Insecurity at United Methodist-Related Schools
    Published On: May 20, 2026

    As students face mounting financial pressures from cuts in student support programs on U.S. university campuses, the General Boards of Higher Education and Ministry and Global Ministries will offer campus food and hygiene insecurity grants for United Methodist-related colleges to help provide food and essential supplies to their students.