D. Terry Rawls, EdD

Vice Chancellor, Academic Programs

Dr. D. Terry Rawls is the Vice Chancellor of JIU, responsible for leading all academic programs and services at the university. Prior to joining JIU, Dr. Rawls was the President and Academic Dean for The College of Public Leadership in Washington, D.C. Previously, he served as Interim Vice President at Central Michigan University and the Interim Executive Director of ProfEd, the division of CMU that delivers educational programs online at more than 60 locations across North America.

Starting out as a counselor working with troubled youth in the Juvenile Court system of Georgia, Dr. Rawls moved into management, where he found himself working in the substance abuse treatment field. He ran treatment centers in South Dakota and Idaho and served as the Training Manager for the Iowa Department of Substance Abuse. This is where the seed of his commitment to adult continuing education was planted. He then returned to school to earn a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision. In 1991, Dr. Rawls joined the faculty of the department of Counseling and Special Education at Central Michigan University. He served in a variety of positions over 15 years at CMU before joining The College of Public Leadership.

Dr. Rawls holds degrees from the University of Iowa, Georgia State University, and Idaho State University. He is a sought-after speaker and consultant known for his creative approach to problem-solving.