Skip to main content

Sean M. Decatur '90 Named President of Kenyon College

Bloomberg.com: Kenyon College Picks Sean Decatur as its New President

Kenyon College, the liberal arts school in Gambier, Ohio, named Sean Decatur ['90], dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Oberlin College, as its next president, effective July 1.

Decatur, 44, will replace S. Georgia Nugent, a Classics scholar who is stepping down after a decade at the helm, Kenyon said today in a statement.

Decatur, who will be Kenyon's first black president, has spent most of his career at liberal arts schools, including positions as an associate dean, department chair and professor of chemistry at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

"All evidence points to a liberal arts education as being a successful platform for a full range of careers and that we graduate students who think critically, who communicate well, and who can solve problems," Decatur said in the statement.

He holds a bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College and a doctorate in biophysical chemistry from Stanford University. ...

 

Sean M. Decatur graduated in 1990 from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in chemistry.  On the topic of Decatur's appointment, Swarthmore President Rebecca Chopp said, "I've been extremely impressed with his knowledge of higher education. He was a beloved faculty member at Mount Holyoke and was highly regarded as a faculty leader. He's done a fabulous job at Oberlin. This is a great match for Kenyon."

Submissions Welcome

The Communications Office invites all members of the Swarthmore community to share videos, photos, and story ideas for the College's website. Have you seen an alum in the news? Please let us know by writing news@swarthmore.edu.