John C. Stockwell, Ph.D.

1st Year Trustee

John C. Stockwell served as chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate from 1994 to 2011, leading the University toward its vision as one of the leading metropolitan universities in the Southeast. 

Under his leadership, the University experience outstanding growth in academic reputation, capital development and public/private partnerships.  Enrollments doubled to nearly 6, 000 students, including a diverse student population with sixty nations represented in the campus community and a minority enrollment of over thirty percent. 

Dr. Stockwell led the University toward completion of its campus master plan, approved by the USC Board of Trustees in 1997, including multi-million dollar capital developments in classroom space, academic support facilities, housing, athletics facilities, and, most notably, the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of business and Economics in downtown Spartanburg.  A number of access and beautification initiatives were accomplished across the 320 acre campus, including a $50 million highway infrastructure project.

Before coming to USC Upstate, Dr. Stockwell served as provost then as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside; dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the State University of New York-Cortland; chair of the Department of Speech and Theatre at Indiana State University; and director of theatre at California State University Northridge.

Dr. Stockwell earned his Ph.D. and Master's degrees in theatre at Bowling Green State University, and his bachelor's degree from Cedarville College.  He is also an alumnus of the Harvard University Institute for Educational Management.

Dr. Stockwell served as founding chair of Spartanburg's Chapter of the Urban League of the Upstate, and as a board member of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, chairing the Chamber Board in 2009.  At present, Dr. Stockwell serves on the boards of the College Hub, the Charles Lea Center Foundation, the Children's Services Alliance and the Spartanburg Day School.

Dr. Stockwell is the recipient of numerous recognitions for community leadership including the Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award and the South Carolina Quality Forum's Milliken Medal of Quality Award.

Dr. Stockwell and his wife, Dr. Diane Vecchio, a professor of history at Furman University, have four grown children and two grandchildren.