Washington College is a private liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland, which is on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The college was founded in 1782 by William Smith, but is the successor institution to the earlier Kent County Free School, which was founded in 1732. From the college's founding until 1922 the executive officer of the college was known as the principal of the college; subsequently, the executive officer is the president of the college. While the title changed, the office is considered to be the same and officeholders who were referred to as principals by their contemporaries are now referred to as presidents. Before the title change in 1922, the president of Washington College was the president of the Board of Visitors and Governors; since 1922, that position is the chair of the Board of Visitors and Governors.
The president of Washington College is appointed by the Board of Visitors and Governors and serves at the pleasure of the board. They are the chief executive officer and chief spokesperson of the college. As a part of their role, they are a voting member of the college's faculty and ex officio member of the Board of Visitors and Governors. There is no fixed compensation or pay scale for the position; each president negotiates a contract independently with the board. As a part of the position's compensation, the President of Washington College is given access to the Hynson-Ringgold House, which has been the official residence of the Washington College president since 1944.
At least 32 people have been the president of Washington College since 1782, four of whom have been interim presidents. Of the 32 presidents, two, Joseph McLain and Bryan Matthews, were alumni of the college and only one, Sheila Bair, was a woman. The presidents of the college have been drawn from a variety of areas including religion, military service, governmental service, and academia. Six Washington College presidents were ordained in the Episcopal Church or the Methodist Protestant Church before their term. Several were also the rector of Emanuel Parish in Chestertown concurrent to their term as president. Washington College presidents have come from many parts of public life. Two were engaged in military service before their term and four were in public service. A singular president, Kurt M. Landgraf, was working in the private sector before his term. Most of the remaining presidents were academics before becoming president of the college. Three were presidents of other colleges, eight were academic administrators, six were faculty members at other colleges, and four were faculty members at Washington College before their terms.
Principals and presidents of Washington College A "–" indicates that the individual served as Interim President. # Photo Name Term begin Term end Previous experience Notes 1 17821789 Priest in the Episcopal ChurchProvost of the Academy and College of Philadelphia Founder of Washington College and St. John's College.2 17921805Priest in the Episcopal ChurchProfessor of Languages, Mathematics, and Natural Philosophy at Washington College ––18051813 – The name of the principal between 1805 and 1813 is unknown.3 18131815Teacher at St. John's College4 1816 1817 Priest in the Episcopal Church 18171818 Temporary professor of Greek and Latin at Dickinson College5 18181823Minister in the Methodist Protestant ChurchAlso the 9th Principal of Washington College6 18231829 Priest in the Episcopal Church7 18291832 "spent three years at Dartmouth College"818321854Member of the Maryland House of Delegates9 18541860Minister in the Methodist Protestant ChurchAlso the 5th Principal of Washington College10 18601867 Priest in the Episcopal ChurchProfessor of Ancient and Modern Languages at Washington College11 18671873 Served in the Confederate Army as a Quartermaster Sergeant in Longstreet's Corps12 18731887Professor of Greek at the University of South Carolina13 18871889Superintendent of Delaware Public Schools14 18891903Professor of Greek and German at St. John's College15 19031918Professor of English and Political Economy at St. John's College 19181919Dean and Professor of Mathematics at Washington College16 19191923Professor of History at College of Wooster The title of the chief executive of Washington College changed from Principal to President in 192217 19231933 Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Alfred University18 19331949 Dean of Birmingham–Southern College 19491950 Dean of Washington College and Professor of Education at Washington College19 19501970Dean of Franklin & Marshall College20 19701973 Commanding Officer of the Western Division of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command21 19731981 Professor of Chemistry at Washington College First alumnus of Washington College to become president. 19811982 Dean of Washington College and a professor of Music at Washington College22 19821990Vice Chairman of the London ObserverSpecial Assistant to Lyndon B. Johnson23 19901995Provost of Colgate University24 19952004 President of Stony Brook UniversityChancellor of the University System of Maryland25 20042010President of Wittenberg UniversityPresident of Gettysburg College26 20102014 United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland 20142015 Chair of the Washington College Board of Visitors and Governors27 20152017 Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation28 20172020 CEO of DuPontMember of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education 20202021 President of Lenoir-Rhyne University29 20212025 Provost of Wofford College 30 2025 Former Director of Athletics and Interim Vice President at Washington CollegeCurrent officeholder. Began as interim president in 2025.
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External links List of presidents on the College's Website