Whittier College Hires 1st Woman President
For the first time in its 112-year history, Whittier College on Thursday named a woman to the position of college president.
Katherine Haley Will, currently provost and a professor of English at Kenyon College in Ohio, was selected by the Whittier College Board of Trustees to be the 13th president of the school, which has about 1,500 students. She will replace James L. Ash Jr. starting in July.
Ash, who has been president for the last decade, announced last October that he would be stepping down at the end of this academic year. He will assume the position of president and chief operating officer of World One, a new venture capital company headquartered in Westwood.
At Kenyon, Will directed the first comprehensive curriculum review in 25 years, reorganized the academic administration and started programs, including junior sabbaticals for young faculty. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Tufts and master’s and doctoral degrees in English from the University of Illinois.
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