Former president Michael Adams’ legacy endures throughout Centre College

Former Centre College President Michael F. Adams died Jan. 25, 2026, following a brief illness. He served as the 19th president of Centre College from 1988 until 1997, when he became president of the University of Georgia.

Adams left an enduring legacy at Centre through policies focused on strengthening the College’s commitment to excellence in the liberal arts and robust fundraising to support building renovations and construction.

“Dr. Adams’s work bolstered Centre College in so many ways,” said Centre President Milton C. Moreland. “All of us at the College today benefit from his vision, drive and commitment. His contributions cannot be overstated. I have the deepest gratitude for his stewardship of Centre, and my heart goes out to his family and friends.”c

Among the many enduring advancements Adams oversaw was the establishment of Centre’s successful residential study abroad programs in London, England and Strasbourg, France. Generations of students have benefited from his efforts in laying the groundwork for Centre’s renowned Study Abroad programs.

“He was convinced from the start of his administration that study abroad was a key to changing how Centre saw itself in relationship to other colleges and the world,” said Cowan Professor of English, Emeritus, Milton Reigelman, who served as Associate Dean and later Vice President for Planning and Resources under Adams. “He had a clear, visionary way of thinking about Centre. And it was a vision Centre needed at the time.”

Adams also worked to transform Centre’s physical footprint, initiating a long-range strategic planning process. He launched the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the College's history up to that point.

“Michael Adams was a person of vision who played a major role in advancing Centre to the highly regarded institution of higher learning that it is today,” said Richard Trollinger, who served as Vice President of College Relations under Adams. “When I interviewed with him in 1994, he told me that Centre was the only college in Kentucky that had a legitimate shot at becoming a solid top 50 national liberal arts college and that Kentucky needed a college that set the standard for others.”

At that time, Centre had launched the transformative Front & Centre capital campaign, which raised $76.1 million against a goal of $60 million.

The picture he painted of Centre’s future inspired Trollinger’s fundraising work for decades to come.

“I drank the Kool-Aid that morning and was motivated by that vision over the 26 years I was on Centre's payroll,” Trollinger said.

With the funds raised during that campaign, Old Centre was extensively and beautifully restored. The former Carnegie Library was renovated, the bookstore was relocated and substantially enlarged, a 19th-century home (renamed Horky House) was converted into space for offices, the 19th-century Combs Warehouse was remodeled for student activities, new chapter houses were constructed for Centre's fraternities and sororities, and major renovations updated the College's older residence halls.

“One of his major achievements was rebuilding our Greek life system,” said Reigelman. “He had strong ideas and knew how to make them a reality. I think it took that at the time for Centre to become what it is.”

His fundraising efforts also saw Centre greatly expand the number of endowed professorships offered by the College. This not only improved the scholarship of professors at the time but also helped retain top instructors and recruit talented professors.

“In just a few years, he did a heck of a lot,” Reigelman said.

A 1970 magna cum laude graduate of Lipscomb College, Adams earned his master’s and doctorate degrees from The Ohio State University, where he was recognized as a university fellow, the graduate school's highest academic honor. In the summer of 1983, Dr. Adams conducted post-doctoral work in comparative educational systems at Oxford University in England.

From 1974-1979, Adams worked for U.S. Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker of Tennessee and later served as senior advisor to Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander. Before assuming the Centre presidency, Adams spent seven years as vice president for university affairs and professor of political communication at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

In 1997, Adams became the 21st president of the University of Georgia, leading the university to national prominence as a top 20 public research university, growing enrollment, increasing fundraising, and expanding its footprint. 
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lynn Ethridge Adams, and their sons, David Adams and Taylor Adams (Carrie), as well as three granddaughters, Campbell, Tucker, and Lawson Adams.