- 410-778-7201
- abanks2@washcoll.edu
- Bunting Hall, First Floor
Office of the President
The heart of Washington College beats loudest in the President’s Office.
Board meetings. Conference calls. Event scheduling questions. Photo sessions. Impromptu conversations in the hallway. There are lots of reasons to visit the President’s Office.
But for now, in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis, the President's Office staff are working remotely, making plans for the Spring 2021 semester, and meeting frequently on Zoom with Interim President, Wayne B. Powell, appointed by the Board of Visitors and Governors on Aug. 10.
A Message from the President January 7, 2021
“Our American democracy is based on the right of people to elect leaders and to hold those in power accountable to principles of liberty and justice. It relies on our ability to hold passionately to differing views while engaging in civil dialogue. It thrives when we listen to each other and test our own ideas against those of others. These are the values at the heart of our mission as a college as we prepare citizen leaders. In contrast, the lawlessness and violence on display in our capital city yesterday is out of line with the rule of law and the ideals of democracy, self-governance, basic respect, and human decency. We can disagree among ourselves without attacking our national system of governance. The invasion of the Capitol would have grieved the founders of this country. It grieves us, too, because we have seen and benefited from the brilliance of the system they created, which has stood for almost two and a half centuries. We, the people, are better than this. We vote, argue, march—but we must never wage war on ourselves. We must all stand together behind our democracy.
“To our students witnessing the foundation of our democracy coming under attack, to our alumni engaged in politics and media in the nation’s capital, and to all of us who were gutted by this assault on America, stand strong. Take hope, too, by remembering that the enduring values that Washington College develops in our emerging citizen leaders – critical thinking, effective communication, and moral courage – are stronger than any mob and can move the world.”
What We Do
Strategic Planning
President's Office staffers work closely with the Board of Visitors and Governors to develop and execute strategies, policies, and business operations that well position Washington College in the national higher education marketplace.
College Communications
The College Communications Office is responsible for institutional messaging, strategic communications, media relations, and storytelling.
Washington College Magazine
Diversity & Inclusion
We stand with the Black community and against racism. Recent protests against racial injustice raise profound questions about institutionalized racism and violence right here in Chestertown. We are in the middle of important work to improve equity and inclusion at Washington College and in the Chestertown community, inspired by our students’ moral courage and resolve. Recent events in response to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many other people of color only give us a greater sense of urgency.
Campus Events
Washington College typically hosts a number of events—lectures, readings, performances, symposia, and more—throughout the year. Given the COVID-19 circumstances, the Contingency Planning Group is considering how to welcome campus visitors this fall.