George Thompson Fairchild (October 6, 1838 – March 16, 1901) was born in rural Lorain County, Ohio, and graduated with two degrees from Oberlin College. In 1865, Fairchild began his academic career as an instructor at State Agricultural College of Michigan. The following year he was made professor of English. Fairchild became vice president of Michigan State, and in 1878 he served as acting President.

In 1879, Fairchild was hired as the third President of Kansas State Agricultural College in Manhattan, Kansas. He took office on December 1. While at Kansas State, Fairchild stepped into an ongoing debate about the role of land grant colleges. While some felt that the college should be limited to agricultural and mechanical arts, Fairchild re-implemented a classical liberal arts education at Kansas State. Fairchild restored classics courses and brought in prominent professors. He also bolstered the number and caliber of students at Kansas State, lifting attendance at the young school from 207 to 734 students during his tenure. President Fairchild retained his position at Kansas State until June 30, 1897. Fairchild submitted his resignation that year in connection with a complete restructuring of the college by members of the Populist Party on the state Board of Regents, who terminated every employee of Kansas State because the Board disagreed with the University's direction.

After leaving Kansas State, Fairchild became a professor of English and vice president at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. Fairchild’s book, Rural Wealth and Welfare: Economic Principles Illustrated and Applied in Farm Life, was published in 1900.