Julianne Still Thrift received her BA in Religious Studies in 1972 and her Master of Education, also from USC, in 1973. She then received a Ph.D. (1983) in public policy, with concentrations in statistics and education, from George Washington University.

She served as executive vice president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. from 1988 to 1991. NAICU, with a membership of more than 800 private colleges and universities nationwide, is the primary representative for higher education before Congress.

In 1991, she became the first female president of Salem Academy and College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Salem College has been educating women since 1772. The Women in Science program, Center for Women Writers, and planned Center for Women in Business offer students opportunities to study with visiting lecturers, as well as career guidance and practical experience. Salem Academy is a college preparatory school for girls in grades 9-12 with an emphasis on the arts, and high participation in athletics.

She has served as a board member of the American Council on Education, and is on the executive committee of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry. She has co-chaired the Competitiveness Commission of North Carolina, which set eight key issues as goals for the North Carolina General Assembly Progress Board. She has chaired the boards of both the Women's College Coalition and the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities.

She is a member and one of the original signatories of the Mothers' Council, whose mission is to raise the visibility and the voices of mothers in our culture. The Mother's Council is a group of mothers of diverse perspectives and disciplines formed to examine and speak authoritatively over time on matters affecting the institution of motherhood and the vocation of mothering. The Council is an initiative of the Motherhood Project of the Institute for American Values.

About her position as president of Salem College, Julianne says: "The thrill of this job is launching extraordinary young women. I see my product more vividly here than in any other job I've had."