List of presidents of Lehigh University

Lehigh University is an American private research university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer with a founding gift of $500,000. The President's Office is in the Alumni Memorial Building which is located on the west side of the Asa Packer Campus in South Side Bethlehem. The President's House is situated just a few meters to the southeast of the Alumni Memorial Building.[1]

# President Image Birth–Death Tenure Notes References
1 Henry Coppée 1821–1895 1866–1875 Soldier, author, and engineer. [2]
2 John McDowell Leavitt 1824–1909 1875–1880 Episcopal clergyman.
3 Robert Alexander Lamberton 1824–1893 1880–1893 Lawyer. [3]
4 Thomas Messinger Drown 1842–1904 1895–1904 Chemistry professor. [4]
5 Henry Sturgis Drinker 1850–1937 1905–1920 Mechanical engineer and first alumnus (Class of 1871) to serve as president. [5]
6 Charles Russ Richards 1871–1941 1922–1935 Presided over first graduate degrees awarded to women. [6]
7 Clement C. Williams 1882–1947 1935–1944 Civil engineer. [7]
8 Martin D. Whitaker 1902–1960 1946–1960 Physicist; Worked on the Manhattan Project. [8]
9 Harvey A. Neville 1898–1983 1961–1964 Only faculty member ever elected president. [9]
10 W. Deming Lewis 1915–1989 1964–1982 Presided over admission of undergraduate women. [10]
11 Peter Likins b. 1936 1982–1997 Civil engineer. [11]
– William C. Hittinger 1922–2013 1997–1998 Class of 1944; electrical engineer, served on an interim basis. [12]
12 Gregory C. Farrington b. 1947 1998–2006 Chemist. [13]
13 Alice P. Gast b. 1958 2006–2014 Lehigh's first female president, chemical engineer. [14]
– Kevin Clayton 2014–2015 Class of 1984; Principal & Director of Oaktree Capital Management, served on an interim basis. [15]
14 John D. Simon 2015–2021 Chemist. [16][17][18]
– Nathan Urban 2021 University's provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; served on an interim basis from July 1 to August 15. [19]
15 Joseph J. Helble 2021– Chemical engineer. Previously provost of Dartmouth College. Second alumnus (Class of 1982) to serve as president. Term began August 16. [19]

References

  1. ^ Asa Packer Campus (map) – Lehigh University.
  2. ^ Henry Coppée (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers. Chambersburg, PA: J. M. Runk & Company, 1896.
  4. ^ Thomas Messinger Drown (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Henry Sturgis Drinker (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Charles Russ Richards (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Clement C. Williams (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Martin Dewey Whitaker (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Harvey A. Neville (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ W. Deming Lewis (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ Peter Likins (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ William C. Hittinger (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Gregory C. Farrington (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Alice P. Gast (biography) – Lehigh University. Archived 2014-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "Kevin Clayton '84 '13P Appointed Interim President," Lehigh University, Wednesday, July 9, 2014.
  16. ^ "John D. Simon Named Lehigh's 14th President," Lehigh University, Friday, October 17, 2014.
  17. ^ "John D. Simon Officially Assumes Presidency of Lehigh University." Lehigh University, Wednesday, July 1, 2015.
  18. ^ "Lehigh President John D. Simon to Step Down in June 2021," Lehigh University, Friday, September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020
  19. ^ a b Hochbein, Kelly. "Joseph J. Helble ’82 Named Lehigh’s 15th President," Lehigh University, Monday, April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021