Thomas Edison University, President

Merodie Hancock serves as the fourth president of Thomas Edison State University, having assumed office March 5, 2018. She is a nationally recognized leader in the administration and delivery of innovative education programs for adult students. Academic access and success are the backbone of Hancock’s educational philosophy. Decades of meaningful engagement with nontraditional learners and their employers have solidified her belief that education is the nexus through which one’s capability is harnessed for positive personal and professional growth and societal impact. She has dedicated her career to making innovative, high-quality, and career-relevant academic programs readily available to under-represented populations across the country and around the world.
Prior to her election as president of Thomas Edison State University, she served as president of State University of New York Empire State College, where she was responsible for the operation of the school’s 35 locations throughout New York, its worldwide online programs and eight international sites. Previously, she served as vice president at Central Michigan University Global Campus and held administrative leadership and teaching positions at the University of Maryland Global College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Hancock holds a PhD in urban services and education administration from Old Dominion University, an MBA from Claremont Graduate University and a BA in Economics from Scripps College. She holds certificates from the Institute of Educational Management, Harvard University and the University Professional Continuing Education Association Leadership Academy, New York University; and a certificate in Nonprofit Board Leadership from the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, Grand Valley State University, Michigan. In addition, Hancock has been acknowledged with numerous awards for her achievements in higher education; diversity, equity and inclusion; and innovation.