RALEIGH, NC.- The North Carolina Museum of Art and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art announce the appointment of William J. (Bill) Carpenter as executive director of SECCA. Carpenter comes to SECCA from High Point University, where he was most recently professor of English and director of the Honors Scholars Program. Carpenter begins his new position at SECCA on June 3, 2019.

"Dr. Carpenter will bring renewed attention to SECCA’s contributions to the field of contemporary art by celebrating its history while emphasizing the multidisciplinary nature of art today and inviting reflection on the ideas that shape our time,” said Valerie Hillings, Ph.D., director of the North Carolina Museum of Art. “The NCMA team and I look forward to working with Dr. Carpenter and the SECCA staff to fulfill our shared objective of creating inclusive experiences and opportunities for our visitors to activate their own creative potential by connecting with art, nature, and other people.”

Carpenter said: “As a teacher and administrator in higher education, I've seen firsthand that engagement with the arts can change lives for the better by helping us invent new ways of seeing ourselves and our world. I'm excited to join SECCA and to help it partner with schools, families, and organizations across the region to strengthen arts education and to connect audiences with artists and scholars.”

Carpenter joined the High Point University faculty in August 2009 as an English professor and director of the High Point University Writing Program. He served as chair of the English department and was the founding director of the High Point University First-Year Program, a common experience program consisting of shared summer reading, living-learning communities, and events to promote lifelong learning. He was also the co-chair/lead writer of High Point University’s Quality Enhancement Program. Earlier, Carpenter was director of the University Writing Program and then chair of the English department at the University of Illinois, Springfield. Carpenter earned a B.A. in English from The College of New Jersey, an M.A. in English from Kansas State University, and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Kansas.

“We are very excited to welcome Bill to SECCA,” said Jennifer Woodward, SECCA board chair. “He is a dynamic individual with extensive experience as a forward-thinking leader. He will bring new energy to the museum and help SECCA fulfill its vision of engaging the community in a lifelong learning experience with the arts.”