Dr. Todd Shields became the fourth president of the Arkansas State University System on July 1, 2026.

An academic administrator, a nationally known scholar and an unabashed champion for students, staff and faculty, Shields was most recently the fourth appointed chancellor and the 14th individual to lead Arkansas State University in Jonesboro from 2022-2026. He worked relentlessly to build partnerships with local community and industry leaders to strengthen Northeast Arkansas and create unmatched opportunities for the student population at A-State.

Beyond higher education, Shields has contributed to public policy and civic leadership across Arkansas. He was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to serve on the 2022 Arkansas Women’s Commission, helping guide recommendations to improve economic opportunity and workforce participation for women across the state. Most recently he was recognized as the 2026 Rural Advocate of the Year by the Arkansas Rural Development Commission.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology in 1990 from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He continued his education at the University of Kentucky, where he received his Master of Arts in political science in 1991 and his Ph.D. in 1994.