Will Dudley Named President of Washington and Lee University

To the Williams Community,

It’s happened again. The wise folks at another institution of higher education—this time Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va.—have recognized the exceptional talent, wisdom, and leadership of someone in our midst and decided to make that person their next president.

It’s Will Dudley ’89, who has served admirably as provost since 2011. Will has accepted W&L’s offer and will begin as president there in early January 2017. You can see W&L’s announcement here.

Will is especially well suited for the role at W&L, a school grounded in the liberal arts tradition and dedicated to ensuring its continued relevance and value in today’s world. Will has spent his career doing that very thing, both as a professor and as provost. Since joining the philosophy faculty in 1998, his service at Williams has included chairing the Committee on Undergraduate Life and service as Gaudino Scholar and on the Committee on Educational Policy, Committee on Diversity and Community, and others. His devotion to the liberal arts extends beyond his alma mater; he’s been a member of the board of trustees of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts since 2010, and currently serves as its vice chair.

Will has brought a rare combination of analytical depth and humane commitment to his five years as provost, and he has been a wonderful colleague as a member of the senior staff. Thankfully, since Will is an alumnus of the college, with this move he won’t be leaving the Williams community entirely.

Please join me in congratulating Will on this fantastic news.

Regards,

Adam Falk
President