Washington & Jefferson names new president

Washington & Jefferson College has named as its 14th president Elizabeth MacLeod Walls, now serving as president of William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri.

She will succeed John Knapp, who earlier disclosed plans to retire on June 30, officials said Tuesday.

MacLeod Walls has led William Jewell College since 2016. In announcing her selection, Washington & Jefferson officials pointed to her work at Jewell to strengthen its reputation through major fundraising initiatives, enrollment growth, financial management, and strategic branding and marketing efforts.

During her tenure, MacLeod Walls oversaw a rebranding of Jewell and creation of new academic and athletic programs, according to that college’s website. She also implemented a 44% tuition reduction during 2021-22 in what had been the college’s sticker price of $33,500, saying the move was intended to clarify pricing.

Washington & Jefferson College implemented its own 44% reduction for fall 2023 in the college’s published price, a tuition reset it said was intended to simplify pricing.

MacLeod Walls came to William Jewell from Nebraska Wesleyan University and Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she held various academic and senior leadership roles, officials said.

She holds a doctoral degree in English Literature and Classical Rhetoric from Texas Christian University and a bachelor’s degree in English and History from Hiram College, according to Washington & Jefferson officials.

“W&J has had a long history of strong leaders who have transformed the College,” stated Donna Haley Grier, chair of the Washington & Jefferson Board of Trustees. “Dr. MacLeod Walls is an extraordinary leader who is passionate about a liberal arts education that is relevant and practical for today’s world.”

The trustees’ vote followed a search and was unanimous, Grier said.

Jewell College enrolled about 850 students in 2022, and Washington & Jefferson had about 1,150 students that year, the most currently available numbers from the U.S. Department of Education.

“The unique ethos of Washington and Jefferson College — simultaneously committed to excellence in the liberal arts and fostering a culture of innovation — is compelling within the ecosystem of private colleges of W&J’s academic caliber,” MacLeod Walls said in a statement. “I have devoted my career to helping our sector sustain and, ideally, thrive; it is my honor to bring my passion for this work to the Washington & Jefferson community.”

MacLeod Walls will be joined on campus by her husband, the Rev. Craig MacLeod Walls, the founding director of the Center for Faith and Culture at William Jewell College. They have two college-aged children, Alec and John, who will join their parents on campus during holiday breaks.