Donald P. Wharton served as the president of Plymouth State University from 1993 to 2006. During his tenure, Plymouth State University implemented higher admission standards which resulted in significant improvement in student academic and civic performance. The graduate programs at Plymouth State experienced substantial growth with new course offerings and professional development partnerships with school districts around the state. The University’s advancement effort included the launch of a $5 million capital campaign, the first part of which coincided with the completion of Boyd Science Center. Plymouth’s physical campus changed dramatically with a new student union building, a new library, and major renovation and conversion of the Draper & Maynard building to support the Department of Art and the Health and Human Performance Department. Additional improvements included a new co-generation plant for electricity and heat for the campus, the demolition of the old power plant and associated buildings to create more green space, and the conversion of town streets to campus walkways.
Donald P. Wharton is a member of the boards of the Northern New Hampshire Foundation, the North Country Council, and the White Mountain Gateway Economic Development Council. He served as past chair of both the New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission and the New Hampshire College and University Council. His academic degrees are from Notre Dame, the University of Pittsburgh, and Penn State. He has authored two books and 20 articles, chapters, papers, and reviews on literature, humanities, higher education, and management.
Dr. Wharton and his wife, Carol have four children and five grandsons.
