Lindy Davidson was announced Friday as the new director of the Mahurin Honors College in an email to faculty and staff by Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Bud Fischer. 

The director position became vacant after Craig Cobane, the first executive director of the Mahurin Honors College, died last year from cancer. Rodney King has since served as the interim director. 

Davidson has worked at the University of South Florida since 2016, and has served as the associate dean of academic affairs in the USF Judy Genshaft Honors College since 2020. 

“Her academic focus in health communication has informed the creation of impactful honors courses and co-curricular pathways in medical humanities and civic engagement,” Fischer said in the email. “Dr. Davidson’s national honors leadership experience makes her the perfect person to guide the Mahurin Honors College into its next chapter of growth and distinction.”

Davidson holds a bachelor’s in communication arts from Belmont University in Nashville, a master of divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary and a Ph.D in communication from USF.

A Paducah native, Davidson said her first college experience was at WKU when she attended an academic camp in eighth grade. 

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to lead a college in my home state,” Davidson said. “Working in an exciting environment with high achieving students in a great university like this is a real win for me.”

Davidson will start her role as the director of the Mahurin Honors College on July 31.