A new president is slated to take the helm of Washington & Jefferson College.
Elizabeth MacLeod Walls will take over as president of the private liberal arts college this June following the retirement of current president, John C. Knapp, the college board of trustees announced Tuesday.
Ms. MacLeod Walls was selected by the Board of Trustees to be the college’s 14th president for her experience in higher education leadership and advocacy, according to a news release. The appointment followed a months-long national candidate search.
“We were impressed with Dr. MacLeod Walls’ long-standing commitment to a Liberal Arts education and her extraordinary leadership,” said Donna Grier, chair of the college board of trustees. “She has demonstrated success in major fundraising initiatives, enrollment growth, financial management, and branding and marketing efforts.”
Ms. MacLeod Walls currently serves as the president of William Jewell College, a small private college in Liberty, Mo., where she has been since 2016. She obtained a P.h.D. in English literature and classical rhetoric from Texas Christian University and has an academic background in British modernism and women’s studies.
“Washington & Jefferson's stellar academic reputation and commitment to innovating within a liberal arts context positions the College to become a leader among independent colleges seeking to adapt to an ever-changing landscape,” Ms. MacLeod Walls said in a statement.
Ms. MacLeod Walls pointed to a recent $50 million grant awarded to the college that will be used to expand access to education for students in and around the Washington area.
“W&J is experiencing significant momentum that will attract meaningful support from alumni and friends in the greater Pittsburgh area,” Ms. MacLeod Walls said.
She was integral in developing an enrollment strategy at William Jewell College that reached new student populations, according to the news release. She also worked to drum up new philanthropic support and bolstered the college’s financial planning and budget efforts.
Ms. MacLeod Walls has also worked in administration at Nebraska Wesleyan University and Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln, Neb.
The presidential search committee was composed of 14 Washington & Jefferson University alumni and faculty. They were assisted by an executive search firm that has helped recruit presidents for other colleges and universities in the past.
During the search process, the committee gathered input from staff and students at the college. They were asked to share the characteristics they would like to see in the next campus president over the course of three listening sessions.
Keith T. Ghezzi, the chair of the Presidential Search Committee, said they were impressed by Ms. Walls’ bold vision for the future of the college. That, coupled with her determination and experience, made her the right choice for the school, according to the chair.
“Elizabeth has the unique ability to balance being a patient listener as well as a decisive and deliberate leader,” Mr. Ghezzi said.
When Ms. MacLeod Walls assumes the position in June, she will move her family to the Washington & Jefferson College campus where they will reside through her term as president.
First Published: February 27, 2024, 10:41 p.m.
Updated: February 28, 2024, 12:31 a.m.
