Brad Voyles
The Covenant College board of trustees voted unanimously on Thursday, to affirm the recommendation of the Presidential Search Committee and appoint Dr. Brad Voyles as the next president of Covenant College. The Presidential Search Committee began its search this spring after former president Dr. Derek Halvorson was named director of the Brock-Barnes Center for Leadership.
Prior to the vote, Richard Bowser, board trustee and chairman of the Presidential Search Committee, said, “Having carefully considered all of the candidate’s materials, the candidate interviews, and having prayed earnestly the committee would be led to the person uniquely qualified to lead Covenant College, the committee strongly recommends the Board of Trustees of Covenant College appoint Dr. Brad Voyles as the next president of Covenant College.” The letter of recommendation to the board states, “Dr. Voyles has led with character and competence—taking initiative for the benefit of others... self-forgetting for the sake of the institution and the Kingdom.”
“I am humbled to be asked to lead in this season of Covenant College and understand the weight of the responsibility entrusted to me by the Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Voyles. “We are training up and sending young men and women into the world who are biblically rooted, expertly trained, and vocationally agile, and who the Lord will use for His purposes and His glory.”
Since July 2023, Dr. Voyles has been serving as interim president of Covenant College in addition to his regular responsibilities.
“I’m so grateful for the sacrificial service of faculty and staff and their willingness to lean in during this time of transition,” said Dr. Voyles. “Their eagerness to go above and beyond with regard to helping with enrollment has been a true gift.”
Dr. Voyles has been the vice president for Student Development and Dean of Students at Covenant College since 2005. During that time, he has provided leadership in admissions and financial aid (2018 – 2019), in business operations and physical plant (2017 and again in 2021 until the present), and in response to COVID-19 (2020–2021).
“Dr. Voyles’ administrative and operational experience in higher education makes him uniquely suited for his role as president,” said Mr. Bowser.
His academic credentials include an Ed.D., Vanderbilt University, Higher Education Leadership and Policy (2014), a Master of Divinity, Reformed Theology Seminary (2000), a M.S. Ed., Southern Illinois University, Higher Education (1996), and a B.A., DePauw University, Biological Sciences (1994).
Dr. Voyles has been married to Kelli for 25 years. Ms. Voyles works at Covenant College in the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. The Voyles have three children. Coby graduated from Covenant College in 2022 with a degree in Community Development. Will is an English major and just started his senior year at Covenant College. Cate is a freshman at Covenant College and plans to major in psychology.
The Voyles family worships at Chattanooga Valley Presbyterian Church, PCA, where Dr. Voyles has served as an ordained Ruling Elder since 2008.