List of presidents of Washington and Lee University

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Washington and Lee University is led by a president selected by the Board of Trustees. The university was founded in 1749 as Augusta Academy. It later became Liberty Hall Academy (1782), Washington Academy (1798), Washington College (1813), and finally Washington and Lee University (1871). The office of president was not created until 1782.

Presidents

The following persons have served as president of Washington and Lee University:[1]

More information No., Image ...
No. Image Chancellor Term start Term end Ref.
Principals of Augusta Academy (1749–1776)
1 Robert Alexander 1749 1762 [2]
2 John Brown 1762 1776 [3]
Principal of Liberty Hall Academy (1782–1796)
3 William Graham [a] 1776 1796 [4]
Rector of Liberty Hall Academy (1782–1796)
4 Samuel Legrande Campbell 1796 1799 [5]
Rector of Washington Academy (1798–1813)
5 Rev. George A. Baxter 1799 1829 [6]
Presidents of Washington College (1813–1871)
acting Rev. Henry Ruffner 1829 1830 [7]
6 Louis Marshall 1830 1834 [8]
acting Rev. Henry Ruffner 1834 1834 [7]
7 Henry Vethake 1834 1836 [9]
8 Rev. Henry Ruffner 1836 1848 [10]
9 Rev. George Junkin 1848 April 1861 [11]
10 Robert E. Lee 1865 October 12, 1870 [b] [12]
Presidents of Washington and Lee University (1871–present)
11 George Washington Custis Lee [c] 1871 1897 [13]
12 William Lyne Wilson 1897 October 17, 1900[b] [14]
acting Henry St. George Tucker III 1900 1901 [15]
14 George H. Denny 1901 1911 [d] [16]
acting [e] Henry D. Campbell 1911 1912
acting [e] John L. Campbell Jr. 1911 1912
15 Henry L. Smith 1912 1929 [17]
acting Robert H. Tucker 1930 1930 [18]
17 Francis Pendleton Gaines 1930 1959 [19]
18 Fred C. Cole 1959 August 31, 1967 [f] [20]
acting William Webb Pusey III September 1, 1967 February 4, 1968 [21][22]
20 Robert E. R. Huntley February 5, 1968 January 14, 1983 [23][24][25]
21 John Delane Wilson January 15, 1983 June 30, 1995 [26]
22 John William Elrod July 1, 1995 July 27 2001[b] [27][28]
acting H. Laurent Boetsch Jr. August 3, 2001 June 30, 2002 [29][30]
24 Thomas Gerard Burish July 1, 2002 August 14, 2005 [g] [31]
acting Harlan Ray Beckley August 15, 2005 June 30, 2006 [32][33]
26 Kenneth Patrick Ruscio July 1, 2006 December 31, 2016 [34][35][36]
27 William C. Dudley January 1, 2017 June 30, 2026 [37]
acting Kenneth Patrick Ruscio July 1, 2026 pending[38] [38]
Close

Table notes:

  1. [a]
    Even though Graham was appointed by the trustees in 1776, the academy may have operated sporadically between 1776 and 1782 due to the Revolutionary War.
  2. [b]
    Died in office.
  3. [c]
    Son of Robert E. Lee.
  4. [d]
    Resigned to lead the University of Alabama.
  5. [e]
    Brothers Henry Donald Campbell and John Lyle Campbell Jr. served as co-acting presidents from 1911 to 1912.
  6. [f]
    Resigned to lead the Council on Library Resources.
  7. [g]
    Resigned to become Notre Dame provost.

References

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