William D. Adams became Colby's 19th president on July 1, 2000, after serving five years as president of Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. Prior to leading Bucknell, he taught political philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Santa Clara University. Adams also served as coordinator of the Great Works in Western Culture program at Stanford University and vice president and secretary of Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
Adams has been an advocate of liberal arts education since his own undergraduate years at Colorado College, from which he graduated magna cum laude in 1972. He subsequently spent a year in France as a Fulbright Scholar and earned a Ph.D. in the History of Consciousness Program at the University of California at Santa Cruz.
One of Adams' first actions as Colby president was to initiate a strategic planning process, which resulted in the ambitious Plan for Colby, a blueprint for the College's aspirations and goals in the coming decade. Colby has a tradition of strong, creative, committed presidents. The last five served an average of 18 years, and each in succession propelled the College to ever-higher levels of excellence.
President Adams keeps office hours for students that are open to all on a first-come, first-served basis. His office is located on the third floor of the Eustis Administration Building.
Upcoming Office Hours
Wednesday, December 2 at 11 a.m.
Wednesday, December 9 at 11 a.m.
The President at the Podium Podcast
