President Stephen R. Briggs
Dr. Stephen R. Briggs became Berry College’s eighth president on July 1, 2006. He is a distinguished scholar of personality psychology with a deep commitment to helping colleges and universities deliver an exceptional undergraduate educational experience.
Dr. Briggs was drawn to Berry because of his affinity for highly distinctive institutions that have pursued their own special path. He believes Berry to be rare in its understanding that educating students for lives of purpose is as critically important as educating them for career success. He also believes that the college has the foundation, the integrity and the will to provide students with the best possible kind of educational experience.
Dr. Briggs’ vision for Berry lies along the same path that has made it distinctive historically: an integrated education of the head, the heart and the hands that balances a high quality education with experiences that foster a strong work ethic and a search for direction and spiritual purpose in life.
Prior to coming to Berry, Dr. Briggs spent six years as provost and vice president for academic affairs at the College of New Jersey (TCNJ). The school aspires to offer the “premier undergraduate experience of any public institution in the nation” and now is considered a model for other state-supported schools. It also is one of only seven such schools nationally to be listed among Barron’s most competitive institutions.
Dr. Briggs earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with honors from Wake Forest University and a doctorate in personality psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining TCNJ, he served Rollins College as dean of the faculty and The University of Tulsa as a faculty member in psychology and associate and acting dean of arts and sciences.
The author of 27 scholarly journal articles and book chapters, two edited books and 10 other publications, Dr. Briggs has made more than 50 national, regional and invited presentations. He is a former member of the Council of Directors of the American Council of Academic Deans and served as chair of the Council of Deans of the Associated Colleges of the South. He also has served as a program evaluator on the Global Partners Project and as an evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Dr. Briggs is married to Brenda Morgan Briggs, also a graduate of Wake Forest University. The couple has three daughters: Morgan, Meredith and Maddy.