Community invited to welcome Tatum family to Northwest

The Northwest Missouri State University community is invited to help welcome Dr. Lance Tatum and his family Thursday, June 1, when he begins work as the University’s next president.

Northwest will host a brief event at 8:30 a.m. outside the front entrance of the Administration Building, where Tatum will provide remarks and introduce his family.

The University introduced Tatum as its 11th president in March, concluding a search process that began last year.

Tatum has served as senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and chief academic officer at Troy University in Troy, Alabama, since January 2019 while holding the rank of professor in its Sorrell College of Business—School of Hospitality, Sport and Tourism Management.

He joined Troy University as a faculty member in 1998 and went on to serve as vice chancellor for its campus in Montgomery, Alabama; vice chancellor for its Global Campus; dean of the College of Education; and chairperson of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion as well as a Faculty Athletics Representative. Throughout his career, he has held faculty positions in sport and fitness management at Troy University, and he began his academic career as an assistant professor of physical education at Gordon College in Barnesville, Georgia.

He earned a Ph.D. in sport management at Florida State University. He has a Master of Science in Education degree in foundations of education and a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education, both from Troy University.

Tatum will be joined by his wife, Jill. The couple also has two children, Thad and Zoe, who attend Auburn University in Alabama.

For more information about Northwest’s presidential search, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/presidentsearch/.