Dr. J. Bradley Creed will deliver his last public addresses as president of Campbell University during two main campus commencement ceremonies on May 10.
Creed will speak at both the 9 a.m. ceremony on May 10 (for graduates of the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, the School of Education & Human Sciences and the School of Engineering), and the 2 p.m. service for graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences. He will also provide welcome messages at other graduation events throughout that week, starting with the School of Osteopathic Medicine’s ceremony on May 8.
Creed announced on April 17, 2024, that he would retire in 2025. He will be succeeded by Dr. William M. Downs on June 1.
Only the fifth president in Campbell’s 137-year history, Creed’s legacy as an accomplished leader of mission-driven institutions and as a scholar and historian of religion is well established. Before becoming president in 2015, he served as dean at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University. He also held the roles of provost and executive vice president at Samford University.
“Serving as Campbell’s president has been an honor and the capstone of my career in higher education,” Creed said. “I am thankful for the many wonderful people who assisted and supported me, and especially for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our students. After more than 30 years of leadership in higher education, I’m eager to take on other projects and to spend more time with my loving wife, children, and grandchildren.”
During his decade at Campbell’s helm, Creed played an instrumental role in the private university’s growth as an institution. He successfully navigated the disruptions of COVID-19, guiding the university through the challenges of remote learning and the transition back to on-campus instruction. Dr. Creed oversaw the most successful capital campaign in Campbell’s history, raising $105 million. That fundraising supported the development of the Oscar N. Harris Student Union, now recognized as the heart of student life at Campbell.
Under Creed’s leadership, the university experienced a rise in undergraduate admissions in the wake of the national trend of a pandemic-induced decline. While Creed enhanced Campbell’s undergraduate experience, he also nurtured the success of the university’s graduate and professional programs.