GALESBURG, Ill. — For the first time in its 184-year history, Knox College has named a Black man to serve as president of the Galesburg, Illinois school.
Andy McGadney will begin his term July 1, 2021 as the college's 20th president, following the retirement of Knox’s current president, Teresa Amott, in June. Amott was Knox's first woman president.
McGadney is a Connecticut native and currently serves as the vice president and dean of student advancement at Colby College in Maine.
At Colby, he was responsible for "implementing a series of complex strategic initiatives that emerged through the college's planning process and promoted, facilitated and supported governance practices across the college," a statement from Knox said.
Before Colby, McGadney served as vice president for university advancement at Clark University in Massachusetts.
McGadney received a bachelors from Wesleyan University before receiving a masters from Columbia University and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania.
“Andy McGadney has demonstrated an uncanny ability to build momentum through visionary leadership, a talent for creating and spearheading student-focused, innovative programs that deliver results, and a deep understanding of the need to inspire a college community to attain aggressive goals through collaboration,” Chuck Smith, chair of the Knox College Board of Trustees, said in the statement.
“His devotion to Knox providing a rigorous, highly personalized liberal arts education to an incredibly diverse student body will serve the College well now and in the future. We are delighted to welcome Andy to the Knox College community.”
