Higher Education Leadership | Religion & Public Life | Civic Engagement 

Areas of Expertise

• Higher education leadership and governance
• Public universities and state politics
• Academic strategy, student success and institutional transformation
• Civic engagement and democratic education
• Religion, politics and social movements

David C. Kirkpatrick is a senior university executive and scholar specializing in higher education leadership, institutional governance, civic engagement and the role of religion and politics in public life. He serves as vice president and chief of staff, and associate professor of philosophy and religion at James Madison University, where he works at the center of university strategy, academic priorities and institutional operations.

As a higher education leader, Kirkpatrick regularly engages issues such as university leadership; board governance; academic strategy; enrollment and student success; public accountability; freedom of expression on campus; and the evolving public purpose of universities. He brings particular expertise in how public universities navigate political environments, demographic change, resource constraints and expectations for workforce preparation and civic outcomes.

Kirkpatrick is frequently called upon to interpret national trends in higher education, including debates over campus speech, the relationship between universities and state governments, institutional responses to polarization and the role of colleges and universities in democratic society. His work bridges academic scholarship and real-world leadership, offering perspective grounded in both theory and executive experience.

In addition to his administrative role, Kirkpatrick is a tenured associate professor whose teaching and research focus on religion, social movements, political violence and international religious freedom. His scholarship has been published by major academic presses and in peer-reviewed journals, and he has lectured widely on the intersections of religion, politics and global affairs.

Kirkpatrick earned his doctorate from the University of Edinburgh and completed his postdoctoral fellowship at Florida State University. He regularly works with media seeking expert commentary on higher education leadership, public universities, religion in politics and the civic responsibilities of academic institutions.

 

Media contact: Chad Saylor, saylorcx@jmu.edu