The Rev. Dr. David C. Joyce
Thirteenth President

The Rev. Dr. David C. Joyce took office as the 13th president of Brevard College on January 1, 2012. Since his arrival, Dr. Joyce has energized the Brevard College campus through his inclusive and transformative style of leadership. Dr. Joyce has brought a strong sense of engagement and optimism to the presidency and has made great strides in setting Brevard College on a clear path to prosperity and sustainability. 

Dr. Joyce brings more than 30 years of experience in private higher education to the presidency of Brevard College.

From 2003-2011 Dr. Joyce served as president of Ripon College. During his tenure, Dr. Joyce made substantial improvements to the College’s fiscal health, and spearheaded programs and initiatives that helped distinguish Ripon as one of the most highly respected private liberal arts colleges in the nation. Among these initiatives was the Ripon Velorution Project, which addressed both parking and environmental concerns by providing bicycles to freshmen who chose not to bring a car to campus.    

From 1996-2003, Dr. Joyce served as president of Union College in Kentucky, where he led the college with a confident vision of its future, making significant capital investments toward improving facilities and infrastructure.

Prior to assuming his first presidency, Dr. Joyce served as the chief advancement officer at four institutions including Otterbein College in Ohio, the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, The Divinity School at Vanderbilt University and Pfeiffer University.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pfeiffer University, a master of divinity in pastoral psychology from Yale’s Divinity School, a master of science in psychology from North Carolina State University and adoctorate in human resource development from Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Joyce is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. He has served on the governing boardsof the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church, the Council of Independent Colleges, Wisconsin Campus Compact, the Appalachia Service Project and the Appalachian College Association. Dr. Joyce served on the council of presidents for the National Association ofIntercollegiate Athletics, the council of presidents and the presidents’ advisory council for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. He recently served as the chair of the board of directors for the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Wisconsin Campus Compact,and the Associated Colleges of the Midwest. Active in civic engagement Dr. Joyce also sat on the boards of Ripon Main Street, Inc., Quest Charter School and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

For fun, Dr. Joyce and his wife, Lynne, enjoy whitewater canoeing, fly fishing, and mountain biking. They recently completed the Cycle NC, a 450 mile road bike excursion from Brevard to Carolina Beach. David and Lynne have one daughter, Anna, who resides in Southern France with her husband, Nicolas, and sons, Lucas and Liam. David and Lynne have roots in North Carolina, and are happy to have returned home.