John Gardner serves as Founder and Executive Chair of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. The Gardner Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with colleges, universities, philanthropic organizations, educators, and other entities to increase institutional responsibility for improving outcomes associated with teaching, learning, retention, and completion. Through its efforts, the Institute will strive to advance higher education’s larger goal of achieving equity and social justice.

John is also the Founding Executive Director and Senior Fellow of the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. From 1983-96, he also served as Vice Chancellor/Associate Vice Provost for Regional Campuses and Continuing Education.

In 1999 Gardner was awarded by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) the Virginia N. Gordon Award for Excellence in the Field of Advising. The American College Personnel Association, recognized him with its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

He has been recognized by the American Association for Higher Education and the Council of Independent Colleges. He has served on the Board of Directors/Trustees for the American Association for Higher Education, the International Partnership for Service Learning, Marietta College, and the Brevard Music Center, and on advisory boards for The American Council on Education, The Association of American Colleges and Universities, The New York Times, and Lumina Foundation for Education.

Gardner has authored/co-authored numerous articles and books on higher education and the first-year experience.