Meet Our Keynote: Dr. Mary Thornley

Dr. Mary Thornley has been president of Trident Technical College since 1991. She truly believes in the transformational power of education and is passionate about the community college’s role in making our communities and our nation stronger, more adaptable, and better able to face the challenges of the future.

Dr. Thornley holds a doctorate of education in curriculum and instruction from the University of South Carolina; a master of arts in teaching English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and a bachelor of arts in English and French from Mars Hill College, North Carolina.

She has received numerous awards and recognitions including the Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award from the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction from Phi Theta Kappa, the Southeast Region Chief Executive Officer Award from the Association of Community College Trustees, Martha Kime Piper Female Executive Award, Trident United Way Women’s Leadership Award, The Free Enterprise Foundation Ethics and Civics Responsibility Award, ThinkTEC Outstanding Leadership in Advancing the Knowledge Based Industry in the Region Award, Special Award Recognizing 10 years of Economic Development Leadership from the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, the Service and Leadership Award for Promoting Access and Equity in Higher Education from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Honorary Doctorate of Public Administration from The Citadel, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree from College of Charleston, the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Influential Women in Business Award, The Citadel School of Business Leader of Principal Award and Hall of Fame Induction, the Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Vision Award, the Septima P. Clark Charleston Branch NAACP Education Award, and the Trident Technical College’s MLK Humanitarian Award, Charleston Business Magazine’s 50 Most Influential, South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners Equity Award, Association of Community College Trustees Southern Region Equity Award, Association of Community College Trustees Charles Kennedy National Equity Award, Trident Literacy Association Founder’s Day Award, Order of the Palmetto.