University of West Florida Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. will hire Hillsdale College Ph.D, Clifford Humphrey, to be his Vice President, Strategic Initiatives/Chief of Staff.
Since receiving his doctorate in politics five years ago, Humphrey has held three full-time positions: assistant professor at Thales College (2021-22), Executive Director of the Institute for Leadership Development at Troy University (2022-23), and Executive Vice Chancellor of the Florida College System (2023-25). Before graduate school, he spent two years teaching classical languages, philosophy, and rhetoric at Trinitas Christian School in Pensacola.
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Hillsdale College is a classical Christian liberal arts college in Michigan with fewer than 1,600 undergraduates and about 140 graduate students. Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly praised Hillsdale College as a model for educational reform, particularly in the context of his efforts to reshape Florida’s higher education system. He openly referenced Hillsdale when discussing the overhaul of New College of Florida, stating the goal was to create a “classical college more along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South.”
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Thales College is a private classical undergraduate college in North Carolina. Founded in 2019, the college welcomed its first undergraduate students in 2022, during Humphrey’s tenure. The inaugural graduating class had eight students.
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When he took over the Institute for Leadership Development, Troy University published this about Humphrey: “Dr. Humphrey, originally from Warm Springs, Georgia, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University. Following graduation, he spent a few years learning the trade of woodworking in New York City and did a bit of world traveling before attending the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship at Hillsdale College.”
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Humphery received his Bachelor of Science from Palm Beach Atlantic University, a private, nondenominational Christian university in West Palm Beach.
- Trinitas Christian School is fully accredited by the Association of Classical Christian Schools, founded by Pastor Doug Wilson of Moscow, Idaho.
Classical Education Disciple
Humphrey writes on education, religion, and politics in outlets such as American Reformer and First Things. He is active in the classical education movement and has been involved in efforts to promote traditional models of education and statesmanship.
- American Reformer is an online publication and think tank focused on Christianity, culture, and public policy from a traditional Protestant perspective. Former UWF trustee Scott Yenor has written extensively for American Reformer.
- First Things is a journal published ten times a year by the Institute on Religion and Public Life. Yenor has also written for it.
Humphrey was a keynote speaker for Leaders Day at the Repairing the Ruins 2025 Conference for classical Christian educators in Dallas this past June.
- RTR 2025: “Many of us say that we want our students to approach learning with “wonder,” but how does the classical tradition equip us to do this? At Repairing the Ruins 2025, we will look to the medieval tradition for inspiration as we contemplate ways to re-enchant the classroom while working “for Christ and His Kingdom.”
- Doug Wilson was also a speaker at the conference.
Preview of his talk:
Leadership as “Compelling Human Excellence”
Interest in the topic of “leadership” as a peculiar technique exploded in the latter half of the 20th century, and with it, a perverting of the traditional understanding of what leadership really is. The rise of the classical education movement is itself a recognition of this perversion and an attempt to recover a right understanding of education for preeminence in community and civic life.
RedBalloon Scare
The buzz I received that RedBalloon was being promoted to conduct the University of West Florida’s presidential search was as far-fetched as some thought. Board of Trustees Chair Rebecca Matthews has not posted on the agenda who she will recommend for the presidential search as of 5:49 a.m. this morning.
Correct, Paul. This is punishment for UWF outperforming the metrics and Ronda Santis being big mad about it.
Can’t have a university succeed in spite of the Governor having a hard on to kill actual education.
Important to highlight this agenda. Classical education as a traditional approach to liberal arts is fine for certain students who want to choose that route. It makes no sense as a major portion of a public state university curriculum. As an ideological Trojan Horse, however, it makes complete sense. That this hire’s entire resume boils down to “classical education” and hardly any work experience is revealing. It’s an ideological favor to consolidate power not a selection to enhance UWF, Florida, or the students.