Dr. Troy D. Paino became the tenth president of the University of Mary Washington in July 2016. A personable, student-focused leader, he is deeply committed to the University’s public liberal arts and sciences mission of providing academic excellence and social uplift in equal measure.
Dr. Paino came to UMW after serving for six years as president of Truman State University in Missouri. His priorities at Mary Washington have been:
- Promoting the values of service and community and civic engagement
- Immersing students in applied, impactful learning experiences
- Adapting the liberal arts to an age of accelerations and a global digital environment
- Creating a diverse and inclusive community as an essential requirement for academic excellence and academic success
Dr. Paino has delivered and continues to deliver on all of these initiatives while overseeing a number of capital projects and putting the University on firmer financial footing. He created a cabinet-level position for equity and access, successfully recruited a more diverse faculty, and increased opportunities for minority and non-traditional learners. He made faculty and staff compensation a priority and invested resources in mental health services on campus.
Under his leadership, UMW increased its retention rate and recruited a more diverse and talented student body while increasing the school’s academic profile. The Chronicle of Higher Education named UMW one of the top producers of U.S Fulbright students.
The Princeton Review named UMW among “The Best 382 Colleges,” Forbes listed it as one of “America’s Top Colleges,” Fiske Guide to Colleges regards it as a “Best Buy School, ” and U.S. News & World Report named UMW one of “America’s Best Colleges.”
Dr. Paino is proud of the activism and community service demonstrated by UMW students. The Peace Corps has named UMW a “Top Producing College and University” for more than a decade, meaning that alumni choose to enter the Peace Corps in greater numbers than alumni from other schools of a similar size.
He and his wife, Kelly, have two daughters, Sophia and Chloe, both of whom are in college.
Dr. Paino earned doctorate and master’s degrees in American studies from Michigan State University. He holds a law degree from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy from Evangel College.
His teaching and scholarly interests include American higher education, 20th-century cultural and social history, and American legal history. He has written extensively on the history of American sports and published a book, The Social History of the United States: 1960s, in 2008.
Dr. Paino is a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities President’s Trust for Liberal Education and America’s Promise. He is past president of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, serves on the Growth4VA President’s Working Group and Virginia Council of Presidents, and is a member of the NCAA Division III President’s Council.