GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- Katherine Haley Will, president of Whittier College in Los Angeles, has been named the 13th president of Gettysburg College.
Will, 51, named at a special meeting of the board of trustees on Dec. 5, replaces Gordon A. Haaland, who announced last spring that he will step down at the end of this academic year after 14 years at the helm. Will has been president of Whittier since 1999.
"I am pleased and delighted that the search committee has named Katherine Haley Will to be the 13th president of Gettysburg College because she was the best candidate for the job in a very strong and competitive applicant pool," said Charles Widger, chair of the College's Board of Trustees. "Kate's experience as a scholar, college president and visionary leader will serve our institution well."
"I also want to take this opportunity to thank Gordon Haaland for his exemplary service to Gettysburg these 13-plus years. His leadership will continue to have a positive impact and provide a springboard for the next administration."
Prior to assuming her duties at Whittier, Will was provost and professor of English at Kenyon College from 1996 to 1999, where she served as leader of the college's academic program, faculty, and curriculum.
She has also served as dean of graduate study and director of general education at Augustana College in South Dakota from 1991 to 1996. She joined the English faculty there in 1986, and received the Burlington Northern Award for Excellence in Teaching.
The author of many published works on Victorian literature, women's literature, and trends in educational technology, Will earned her master's and doctoral degrees in English from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana. She studied at Carleton College and completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at Tufts University in 1974. Tufts also awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2002.
As president at Whittier College, Will completed the facilitation of a comprehensive strategic planning process, which produced a 10-year plan for the College. She oversaw Whittier's 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and recently worked with the Board of Trustees to complete the fundraising for a $15 million technological upgrade and expansion of Whittier's library and information technology center.
After the special election by the board of trustees Will was introduced to faculty, staff, administrators and students amidst the area's first major snowfall.
Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective, residential college of liberal arts and sciences with 2,500 students located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park. |
