Carol Maxson is the new vice president for Academic Affairs at Olivet Nazarene University. 

Olivet President John C. Bowling announced Maxson’s appointment, noting that her role on the administrative team is to be chiefly responsible for overseeing the university’s educational policies and programs. She succeeds Dennis Crocker, who recently took on the role of special assistant to the president for Academic Resource Development.

A longtime member of the Olivet community, Maxson most recently served as Olivet’s associate vice president for Academic Support. She is already working closely with faculty and the administrative team to execute recent adjustments in Olivet’s academic offerings and further refine the university’s academic identity.

“With more than 25 years experience in higher education, Maxson is well-qualified and well-suited for this new assignment at this time in the university’s history,” Bowling said. “Her influence as a Christian leader will continue to have a positive impact on the present and future of Olivet and our students.”

Maxson began her career as assistant to the registrar and an instructor for the departments of Education and Psychology at Olivet in 1988. Over a 19-year period, while continuing her own education, she advanced to the position of dean for Graduate and Continuing Studies. From 2007 to 2014, she held an administrative leadership position at Trevecca Nazarene University. Then in 2014, she returned to a leadership position at Olivet. 

In 2004, she was named Faculty Member of the Year at Olivet. Maxson was the commencement speaker at Trevecca in 2010.

Maxson holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Olivet, and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. Her areas of expertise include leadership, program development, curriculum development, and systemic change. She is also an experienced consultant for learning styles, team building, and intrapersonal and interpersonal leadership.

“Coming home to Olivet in 2014 was one of the greatest blessings of my life,” Maxson said. “This appointment is adding to that blessing in ways I never would have imagined. I’m excited to see what God has in store for Olivet and to be instrumental in working out that plan. Having the opportunity to use my gifts and skills to benefit Olivet at this time in the university’s history is an assignment I gladly accept.”

A resident of Bourbonnais, Maxson is the mother of three adult sons who graduated from Olivet: Chad, who joined Olivet’s staff in 2015 as the associate dean of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies; Jayson, a member of the Microsoft team in Seattle; and Chip, general manager for the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

--Olivet Nazarene University