Earlham College president to retire
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Earlham College President Anne Houtman will retire at the end of the current academic year, the college announced Wednesday. Houtman has held the role since 2019 and is the first woman to lead the institution.
During her tenure, Earlham launched the “For Good” campaign, which has raised nearly $85 million to date. The campaign, which began nearly a year ago, aims to establish endowed scholarships and grow recruitment efforts, expand funding for Earlham’s Epic Journey program, and create an endowed fund for students who struggle to pay for college.
The college has also launched new majors in multiple disciplines under Houtman’s leadership, as well as a new softball program slated to begin its inaugural season next spring with a new stadium under construction on the Richmond campus.
“We are grateful that Anne will leave the college in a better place than she found it, with a solid and clearly articulated plan to move the college forward,” Earlham Board of Trustees Chair Tom Thornburg said in a news release. “We know she, her leadership team, and the Earlham community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni will work hard toward the goals Anne has set out for Earlham in her remaining nine months at Earlham.”
The board plans to begin a search for Houtman’s successor in the coming weeks. The college said Houtman plans to remain in the area during her retirement and resume scholarly projects she put on hold when she became president.