HARROGATE, Tenn. — Lincoln Memorial University’s (LMU) president, Dr. Nancy B. Moody, has officially resigned from her post. According to a statement released by LMU, the decision was made Saturday after she was selected by Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., to be its next president.

Moody served as LMU’s first female president since 2002. Effective June 1, she will also become Tusculum College’s first female president. LMU’s Board of Trustees will appoint an interim president in the next 30 days and then conduct a national search for a new president.

Her official resignation comes on the heels of rampant speculation that she would be hired as Tusculum College’s new president.

In November, The Greeneville Sun quoted Tusculum’s Board of Trustees Chairman Ken Bowman saying that Moody was the only candidate invited to Tusculum’s campus as part of their presidential search.

After the Middlesboro Daily News published the story informing readers of the possibility of Moody’s resignation, Moody attempted to squash the story in a blanket e-mail sent to LMU’s faculty and students saying she remained committed to LMU.

“First, I want to assure you that at this time I am not going anywhere,” said Moody in the e-mail on Nov. 29, 2008. “This is a personal issue for me and my family that I regret has become public. Like any professional, I am always open to new opportunities and new challenges, something that my time at LMU has been full of. I was nominated for a position by a third party and contacted by the search firm. Though I have been interviewed by the search committee, I assure you that I remain committed to Lincoln Memorial University, her mission, students, faculty and staff.”

Now it seems Moody was only waiting for the right moment to move on.

“The past seven years have been inspirational, insightful, and exciting,” said Moody in a correspondence to faculty and staff sent on Saturday. “I have been fortunate to be at the helm of LMU during the most productive time in her 112 year history. The success of LMU is not necessarily related to her legacy but to the people — the people who founded her, those who sustained her, and those who have given and continue to contribute to her mission on a daily basis — the faculty, staff, Board of Trustees and students of Lincoln Memorial University.”

While Moody has deep roots with LMU — her career in higher education began at LMU as a nursing instructor — she seems ready to begin leadership of another college.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to serve Tusculum College. I am extremely impressed with the people of Tusculum — the students, faculty, staff, administrative personnel and members of the Board of Trustees,” said Moody, in a statement released by Tusculum College.

Moody has overseen LMU during some of its most productive years. Since she began in 2002, LMU’s enrollment has increased by 90 percent, according to a press release by LMU. The university also built a medical school, expanded its nursing program, and started a law school in Knoxville, Tenn.

“We feel fortunate to have attracted someone of her caliber, and we are truly optimistic about the future of Tusculum College under her leadership,” said Ken Bowman, chairman of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees and of the selection committee, in a statement released by Tusculum College. “Dr. Moody is a proven, successful college president with an especially impressive record of preparing students to be active citizens and successful in the careers they choose.”

Moody served in several roles at LMU, culminating in her appointment as the Dean of LMU’s School of Professional Studies. She later joined the faculty at East Tennessee State University where she was tenured and served as department chair. She would go on to become an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, while also serving as the executive director of the Tennessee Center of Nursing.

Dr. Moody currently chairs the executive committee for the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association and serves on the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation Board of Directors. She is a member of the NCAA Division II President’s Council and an active participant on the boards of the Appalachian Colleges Association and the Tennessee Center for Nursing, Inc. She is married to Tom Moody, a self-employed public accountant in Knoxville.

Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.