Jeannine Diddle Uzzi will become the new president of Thomas College in Waterville this fall. Photo courtesy of Thomas College

WATERVILLE — Thomas College has chosen a new president to replace Laurie Lachance when she officially retires Nov. 1.

Jeannine Diddle Uzzi, of Waterville, will become the new president, the college said in an announcement Thursday morning.

Uzzi most recently served as vice president of academic affairs at Adler University, leading the university’s strategic visioning, planning and communications. Prior to that, she was provost and executive vice president for academic and student affairs at University of Southern Maine, where she was pivotal in guiding USM out of financial difficulties and helped revitalize faculty engagement in governance and shape a forward-looking academic vision, according to the Thomas news release.

Thomas College President Laurie Lachance looks out at the graduating class on Saturday, May 12, while speaking during the 130th commencement in Waterville. Lachance is retiring as president this fall.  Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel file

The college said Uzzi is a seasoned leader and distinguished professor of classics who is widely recognized for her dedication to expanding access to the life-0changing benefits of a college degree for students, their families and communities.

She will serve as president-elect until Nov. 1 when Lachance, who has been president since 2012, steps down. Lachance announced earlier this year that she planned to retire.

Uzzi will be Thomas’ sixth president.

“Under her leadership, USM saw significant gains in student enrollment, retention and graduation rates,” the Thomas College release says. “Uzzi chaired both the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures and the Faculty Senate and was repeatedly recognized for her steadfast commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Her vision for Thomas is to be a top choice college for Maine students, as well as those from other places, according to Thomas officials.

“Dr. Uzzi brings to Thomas a wealth of experience in higher education, a strong commitment to our mission and a deep understanding of the critical role we play in producing the next generation of talented graduates for Maine’s workforce and beyond,” Lachance said in a statement. “Dr. Uzzi’s appointment fills me with great excitement and a profound sense of optimism for the future of Thomas College under her leadership.”

Emma Huntley, left, and Emily Willson help carry items on Aug. 21 that belong to first-year students who are attending the Early Start program and moving into dormitory rooms at Thomas College at 180 West River Road in Waterville. Early Start is an 11-day program held prior to the start of the fall term that offers new students tools to assist in academic coursework, help manage the transition to college and prepare for their future. Huntley and Willson are tutors in the Early Start program. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel file

Kimberly Lindlof, president and CEO of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, said Uzzi has spent the better part of 20 years living and working in Maine.

“She has demonstrated strong leadership and visionary attributes, and it is clear to me that she is a team player who values input and others’ ideas, but still is willing to roll up her sleeves to effect positive change in a timely manner,” Lindlof said of Uzzi in a statement. “She will be an innovative go-getter as Thomas College’s new president.”

Uzzi said she is excited to join the Thomas community because of the people and the students at the core of the community.

“We all know this is a tough time for higher education and my top priority is making Thomas College sustainable by building on its core mission of access to education,” she said. “By leveraging my experiences, I see opportunities to make Thomas a more inclusive community that serves students from all backgrounds — whether they are from Maine or beyond — who are seeking a place where they truly belong.”

Uzzi holds a bachelor’s degree in classical languages from Hamilton College and a doctorate in classical studies from Duke University, where she was honored as the William H. Willis Instructor of Classical Studies. She is an alumna of the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome and completed advanced leadership training through the American Council on Education’s Institute for New Chief Academic Officers and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Millennium Leadership Institute.

Uzzi also is active in community service efforts, having recently led reading groups on classical literature for combat veterans in collaboration with the Maine Humanities Council and the Portland Veterans’ Center, for which she was awarded a Certificate of Achievement from the Maine Military and Community Network, according to the college. She serves as pronouncer for the Maine State Spelling Bee and is chair of the Board of Directors for Gym Dandies Children’s Circus.

Uzzi enjoys running, rowing, biking, hiking and snowshoeing, practices yoga and is trained in trauma-informed group facilitation, according to the college.

U.S. News & World Report cites Thomas College as a top college in Maine for social mobility. The college’s focus and its one-of-a-kind guaranteed job program allows students to advance more quickly in the arts and sciences, business and education, according to the college. Students can earn an undergraduate degree in three years, and then choose from a variety of in-person or online graduate degree programs that can be completed in one or two years.