Rhonda Phillips is an American academic administrator and

economic development In economics, economic development (or economic and social development) is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and object ...

expert serving as the twentieth president of

Chatham University Chatham University is a private university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally founded as a women's college, it began enrolling men in undergraduate programs in 2015. It enrolls about 2,110 students, including 1,002 undergraduate students and ...

. She was the inaugural dean of

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

Honors College and a professor of

agricultural economics Agricultural economics is an applied field of economics concerned with the application of economic theory in optimizing the production and distribution of food and fiber products. Agricultural economics began as a branch of economics that specif ...

from 2013 to 2023.

Life

Phillips was raised in Santee near

Bassfield, Mississippi Bassfield is a town in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 192 at the 2020 census, down from 254 at the 2010 census. Geography Bassfield is located in southeastern Jefferson Davis County at (31.497090, -89.74 ...

. She earned a bachelor's degree (1983) in

geography Geography (from Ancient Greek ; combining 'Earth' and 'write', literally 'Earth writing') is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding o ...

and master's degree (1986) in

from the

University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bac ...

(USM). She completed a master's degree (1992) in economics and a Ph.D. in city and regional planning from

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Established in 1885, it has the lar ...

in 1996. Phillips is an economic development and sustainability expert. Phillips was the associate director for economic development at the

Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 520,070 (2024 estimate) living within the city limits, Atlan ...

. She worked at the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

and USM. At the

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...

(ASU), Phillips served as the associate dean for

Barrett, The Honors College Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University (formerly known as ASU University Honors College) is a university honors program. The honors college was first authorized by the Arizona Board of Regents in 1988 as a four-year, residential ...

and was a professor and director of the school of community resources and development. She was also a senior sustainability scientist at the ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. In 2013, Phillips joined

as the inaugural dean of the John Martinson Honors College and a professor of

. She was a finalist for the presidency of

College of Charleston The College of Charleston (CofC or Charleston) is a public university in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, it is the oldest university in South Carolina, the 13th-oldest institution of higher lea ...

in 2018 and

New College of Florida New College of Florida is a public university, public liberal arts college in Sarasota, Florida, United States. The college is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. New College has the smallest student enrollment in the State U ...

in 2021. On April 18, 2023, she was named the twentieth president of

, succeeding David Finegold. On April 28, 2025, it was announced that Phillips would become the president of

St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) is a Public college, public Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in St. Mary's City, Maryland.Maryland State Archives, Online Manual, "St. Mary's College Of Maryland: Origin & Fun ...

, starting July 1, 2025.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Rhonda Living people Year of birth missing (living people) University of Southern Mississippi alumni Georgia Tech alumni American agricultural economists 21st-century American economists American women economists 21st-century American women scientists Women heads of universities and colleges Presidents of Chatham University