Dr. Troy D. Paino, President
Mary Washington’s Number One Eagle
Dr. Troy D. Paino has led the University of Mary Washington for nearly a decade as the 10th president. He’s known by students for welcoming them to campus during move-in and into his home for evening dinners, and he champions Mary Washington’s public liberal arts and sciences mission of providing academic excellence and social uplift in equal measure. He’s deeply committed to student success and educational distinction, a supporter of faculty and staff, and the top encourager for community engagement at all levels.
His priorities at Mary Washington have been:
- Promoting the values of service and community and civic engagement,
- Immersing students in applied, impactful learning experiences,
- Adapting the liberal arts to the knowledge economy and a global digital environment, and
- Creating a diverse and inclusive community as an essential requirement to fulfill Mary Washington’s public purpose.
Dr. Paino has delivered and continues to deliver on all of these initiatives while also overseeing a number of capital projects and putting the University on firmer financial footing. He has made faculty and staff compensation a priority while also investing resources in the mental health services at the Talley Center for Counseling Services and UMW’s Office of Disability Resources to meet the growing needs of twenty-first century students.
Throughout this period, UMW has increased its retention rate and recruited a talented student body while simultaneously increasing the school’s academic profile. In 2020, the University of Mary Washington was named one of the top producers of Student Fulbright Awards, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and students, faculty, and alumni continue to achieve this recognition in record numbers. In 2024, UMW earned a top 10 ranking among public liberal arts colleges in U.S. News and World Report, a category it established itself in just two years before. Annual rankings include The Princeton Review’s best colleges, Fiske’s “best and most interesting schools,” and Washington Monthly’s “best bang for the buck.”
Dr. Paino’s student-centered approach has been recognized nationally, with NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education selecting Paino to receive the 2023 President’s Award, following honors recognition for the Region III President’s Award in 2022. Both awards recognize a college or university president or chancellor who has, over a sustained period, advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting the institution’s student affairs staff and initiatives. It is the highest honor NASPA bestows on a college or university president or chancellor. In the Commonwealth, President Paino receives annual accolades on the Virginia Business Power 500 Power List, and, in 2024, he was listed among the “50 most influential people in Northern Virginia” by Northern Virginia Magazine.
Dr. Paino has made a commitment to expand UMW’s academic offerings to the community by increasing the number of credit and non-credit courses offered, including new certifications and other professional development opportunities that will impact the region and support economic growth. He encourages the development of academic programs in high-demand areas particularly through the intersection with technology, with the rapid growth of the Communication and Digital Studies, Computer Science, and Cybersecurity programs. Recent additions have included Entrepreneurship and Data Science.
He has overseen the renovation of Mary Washington’s historic and beloved amphitheater, a major expansion to the Jepson Science Center, a renovation of Seacobeck Hall which now serves as the new home of the Office of Disability Resources and the burgeoning College of Education, and the renovation of Virginia and Willard residence halls. And, currently, plans are underway for the design phase for a new theatre, as well as renovations of Melchers, duPont and Pollard halls. In many ways, Dr. Paino has set the stage for future success, for the campus and its graduates.
In recent years, UMW has increased the knowledge rate of career outcomes, sustaining connections and a network of more than 45,000 alumni. Within six months of graduation, around 90% of graduates are employed, in grad school, or pursuing public service, and that success continues to grow throughout their lifetimes.
Dr. Paino earned doctorate and master’s degrees in American Studies from Michigan State University. He holds a law degree from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy from Evangel College. He took office as the President of Mary Washington on July 1, 2016, and resides in historic Brompton with his wife, Kelly. They have two daughters, Sophia and Chloe.
His teaching and scholarly interests include American higher education, 20th-century cultural and social history, and American legal history. He has written extensively on the history of American sports and published his book, The Social History of the United States: 1960s, in 2008.
Dr. Paino is a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) President’s Trust for Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP). He also serves on the Northern Virginia Technology Council Board, the board of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, and the Virginia Advisory Committee of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. He is past president of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) and a past member of the NCAA Division III President’s Council. Dr. Paino previously served as president for Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri where he also served as vice president for academic affairs. He taught history and was dean of Winona State University’s College of Liberal Arts.