News
October 15, 1998
Trustees name Lambert eighth president
Michelle Cater
The Pendulum
Elon College paved the way
for the future Wednesday when the
Board of Trustees unanimously
voted Leo Lambert as the college’s
eighth president.
Lambert, 43, is currently serv
ing as the provost and vice chancel
lor for academic affairs at the Uni
versity of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He
will assume the position of presi
dent on January 1.
“Dr. Lambert possesses the
academic and senior leadership ex
perience which qualify him to lead
the institution into the 21st cen
tury,” Robert LaRose, chairman of
the Board of Trustees said.
“He has built an outstanding
reputation as one of America’s top
administrators and will foster a cli
mate of excellence as we build on
Elon’s reputation as one of the pre
mier undergraduate institutions on
the Eastern Seaboard.”
Lambert, who was recently
named an outstanding leader in
American higher education by
Change magazine, graduated cum
laude with a bachelor’s degree in
English from State University of
New York at Geneseo and received
his master’s of education from the
University of Vermont. He was
awarded a doctorate in education
from Syracuse University.
At La Crosse, Lambert is a
strong supporter of international
education and has encouraged both
student and faculty exchanges in
China, Russia, Germany and
Mexico. He is also a strong sup
porter of undergraduate research.
Lambert is a noted author on
subjects pertaining to higher educa
tion and has co-edited three Ameri
can Association of Higher Educa
tion volumes on school-college part
nerships.
Lambert describes the con
nection with Elon to be a perfect
match, both for him and his family.
“It feels very right in our
hearts to be here,” he said.
While he is honored to have
been chosen as the next president,
Lambert said the most overwhelm
ing feeling he has is one of humble
ness.
“It (Elon) is a treasure of an
institution, and it is a great deal of
responsibility to take this office. It
is an office that I take with the
utmost seriousness.
“It is also humbling to follow
in the footsteps of two longstanding
and absolutely brilliant past presi
dents.”
Lambert said, “One of the
factors that attracted me to the Elon
presidency is the institution’s com
mitment to innovation in the cur
riculum and in teaching.”
He also said he was attracted
by the sense of community he feels
on the campus.
“My sense from talking to
people is that faculty, students, staff,
Trustees all believe that they have a
real voice in the direction in which
the college is going to be moving in
the future and I really believe in that
kind of community-based plan
ning.”
Lambert said that Elon has
gained national attention as one of
the most improved institutions of
higher education in the past 15 years.
“This is a remarkable mark in
terms of how quickly Elon has pro
gressed forward and you can liter
ally feel the momentum when you ’ re
on campus,” he said.
Wednesday night, current
President Fred Young and Lambert
met to start discussing the transition
period.
“Fred (Young) has already
been the most gracious mentor that
a new president could have,” Lam
bert said.
“President Young is leaving
Elon College in a position of strength
and vitality. This is an enormously
wonderful institution due in large
measure to the leadership that he
has provided and I think the institu
tion is going to move very confi
dently into the 21 st century because
of his leadership.”
Lambert has no real plans for
Elon’s fu
ture yet.
“Ini
tially what I
want to do is
listen and
learn,” he
said.
Lam
bert also
plans on 11 n-
ishing the
Elon Vision
as it stands
now before
taking the
college into
the future.
I
think the
most imme
diate task at
hand is to
finish the
Elon Vision,
which I think
is an enor
mously creative vision that is going
to lead to enhanced academic pro
grams. It will complete a program
of just absolutely beautiful facili
ties.. . and I want to finish that first
and use that time to think very cre
atively and expansively about what
the next step is.”
Lambert plans to make sev
eral visits to the college between
now and January, when he, his wife
Laurie, and two daughters, Callie,
13, and Mollie, 10, will move into
Maynard House.
Lambert is very involved in
the community of La Crosse and
plans on becoming as involved in
the Burlington area.
“I think the first thing we will
probably do (as a family) is make
sure our daughters are well-estab
lished in activities here.”
A look at Elon's past presidents: 1889 -1998
Michelle Cater
The Pendulum
Dr. Leo Lambert will be the eighth
president in Elon College's 109-
year history. The Pendulum pre
sents a look at Elon’s past seven
presidents and some of their major
accomplishments.
William S. Long (1889-1894):
Long was chosen as president of the
college before the college even ex
isted. Under his leadership, the
current plot of land was selected
and the town of Elon College was
developed and organized. Long
also supervised the construction of
the college’s first campus.
William Wesley Staley (1894-
1905) : The Board of Trustees chose
The Reverend Staley after Long’s
resignation. Spent part of his time
as president in Suffolk, Va. work
ing with his church up there, visit
ing Elon when necessary. It was
under Staley that Elon’s first dean
was named and faculty began much
of their own governance. Elon ath
letics began during Stanley’s ad
ministration. Publication of The
Elon College Weekly, the school’s
first newspaper, began during
Staley’s presidency.
Emmett Leonidas MofRt (1905-
1911): One of Moffit’s first actions
was the construction of West Dor
mitory. Moffit also brought elec
tricity and running water to Elon
College. The current Elon College
seal was designed in 1908.
William Allen Harper (1911-
1931): Harper started the Student
Army Training Corps during World
War I to help keep Elon open. The
S ATC helped provide military train
ing to young men during the war.
Harper was also president during
the famous Elon fire of 1923.
Leon Edgar Smith (1931-1957):
President Smith managed to keep
Elon College open during the Great
Depression, even while schools of
similar sizes closed. He also helped
organize a training center for the
Army Air Corps at Elon during
World War II.
James Earl Danieley (1957-1973):
During Danieley ’ s presidency many
of the buildings on campus now
were constructed including Long
building. Hook, Brannock and
Barney dormitories and the
McEwen Library. Danieley de
scribes his greatest accomplishment
as president as “getting through the
60s unscathed.”
James Fred Young (1973-1998):
During Young’s presidency, enroll
ment more then doubled. Majors
such as communications, leisure/
sport management and computer
systems as well as masters degrees
in business administration, educa
tion and physical therapy were
added. The “Elon Experiences,” in
cluding study abroad and service
learning, were created. Young also
oversaw the construction of the
Model Center for the Arts, the Koury
center, Moseley Center and the East
Campus apartments.
Note: Most of the information on
the past presidents was gathered
out of “Elon College: Its History
and Tradition" by Durward T.
Stokes.
Editor’s Note: Due to Fall Break, The Pendulum was not scheduled to print the week of October 15. However, it was
decided that the news of Elon's new president could not wait a week. The regular edition of The Pendulum will begin publishing
again the week of October 22. Thank you.