ASU System Trustee Board Selects Todd Shields as Next President

By the Arkansas Delta Informer Staff

LITTLE ROCK – May 26, 2026 – Nearly four-and-a-half months after the president of the state’s second-largest higher education institution stepped down, the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees on Monday selected an insider to lead the fast-growing

During a special meeting in Little Rock, the A-State trustees selected Dr. Todd Shields, chancellor of the system’s flagship campus in Jonesboro since 2022, to become the fourth president of the ASU System, effective July 1.

Simultaneously, at the recommendation of interim president Dr. Robin Myers, the board also voted to name Dr. Calvin White, executive vice chancellor and provost at A-State, as interim chancellor. Following an executive session, the board unanimously voted to approve both appointments.

Shields will succeed Dr. Brendan Kelly, who left the system in December to become president of his alma mater, Eastern Michigan University. Myers will continue to serve as interim system president until July 1. ASU Chair Robert Rudolph said Trustee Price Gardner of Little Rock will work to negotiate contracts with both Shields and White prior to the board’s next regular meeting on June 3.

The Arkansas State University System, based in Little Rock, serves almost 39,000 students annually on campuses in Arkansas and Queretaro, Mexico, and globally online. The System includes Arkansas State University, a four-year Carnegie R2 research institution in Jonesboro with degree centers at ASU-Beebe, ASU-Mountain Home and ASU Mid-South in West Memphis. Arkansas State University Campus Queretaro opened in September 2017.

 Henderson State University in Arkadelphia became the system’s second four-year institution member in February 2021. The system’s two-year college institutions include ASU-Beebe, with additional campuses in Heber Springs and Searcy; ASU-Newport, with additional campuses in Jonesboro and Marked Tree; ASU-Mountain Home; ASU Mid-South in West Memphis; and ASU Three Rivers in Malvern. “I am honored to welcome Dr. Shields as the president of the ASU System and to appoint Dr. White as interim chancellor at A-State. These two distinguished leaders represent the very best of higher education leadership – visionary, student-centered, collaborative and deeply committed to the future of Arkansas,” said Rudolph.

“Dr. Shields has already demonstrated transformational leadership at Arkansas State through innovation, strategic growth, academic excellence and community engagement. His proven ability to lead complex institutions and build meaningful partnerships makes him uniquely prepared to guide the ASU System into its next chapter of program and statement impact.

Rudolph also noted that Dr. White “has earned tremendous respect across Arkansas and beyond as a scholar, administrator and servant leader.”

“Together, (Shields and White) reflect the strength, stability and excellence that continue to define the ASU System. We are excited about the future and remain committed to expanding opportunity, advancing student success, strengthening our campuses and serving the people of Arkansas with distinction.

An academic administrator, a nationally known scholar and an unabashed champion for students, staff and faculty, Shields was named the fourth appointed chancellor and the 14th individual to lead A-State in 2022.

“I am deeply honored and humbled by the confidence the ASU System Board of Trustees has placed in me through my appointment as president,” Shields said. “I am grateful for their trust, their leadership and their steadfast commitment to expanding educational opportunity across our state and beyond. “

“As I begin this next chapter, please know that my commitment to A-State remains unwavering,” Shields added “As system president, I will continue to be a strong advocate and resource for A-State, working to ensure that the university has every opportunity to build upon its success and continue changing lives. The future of A-State is bright, and I look forward to helping facilitate continued achievements in the years ahead.” 

White, who joined Shields at A-State in 2022 after serving as associate dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, said A-State belongs to the people of Arkansas.

“(A)nd throughout this transition, my focus will remain firmly on the mission that defines us: educating students, expanding opportunity, conducting impactful research and strengthening the communities we serve,” said White. “The accomplishments of Arkansas State are the result of dedicated faculty and staff, engaged students, loyal alumni, generous supporters and strong community partners united around a common purpose. I look forward to working with our campus community as we build on our momentum and continue advancing the priorities that are shaping Arkansas State’s future.”

Completing his fourth year as chancellor at the ASU campus in Jonesboro, Shields has led an enrollment increase of nearly 30% while launching several transformative initiatives that are reshaping the future of higher education in Northeast Arkansas. In early 2025, the university broke ground on the state’s first College of Veterinary Medicine, which will address critical shortages in rural veterinary care and expand A-State’s impact on animal health and agriculture.

He also led efforts to establish the Center for Advanced Materials and Steel Manufacturing, positioning A-State as a leader in applied research and talent development for the steel industry. In partnership with Arkansas Northeastern College and ASU-Newport, A-State secured competitive workforce grants to expand training opportunities throughout Northeast Arkansas by establishing the Career Readiness Education & Skills Training (CREST) Center in Jonesboro.

Prior to joining A-State, Shields spent many years as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and dean of the Graduate School and International Education at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas largest university campus. One of his signature contributions to UA was the creation of a School of Art within the college, bolstered by significant endowment gifts that funded the construction of a new campus space. Additionally, Shields played a pivotal role in establishing the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society, serving as its founding director. 

Shields earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and psychology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1990. He continued his education at the University of Kentucky, where he received his Master of Arts in political science in 1991 and his Ph.D. in 1994. He and his wife, Karen, have two adult children – Savvy Shields Wolfe (husband, Nate Wolfe) and Dane Shields (wife, Katelin Shields) – and a granddaughter, Adeline Janine Wolfe.