Dr. Anne E. McCall Named 13th President of The College of Wooster
Dear College of Wooster Community Members,
Just a few moments ago, on behalf of the Board of Trustees and Presidential Search Committee, I had the pleasure of introducing the 13th president of The College of Wooster—Dr. Anne E. McCall.
The Board unanimously approved Dr. McCall’s appointment following a 10-month search led by Trustee Peter Sundman ’81 and a Presidential Search Committee, including trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, and students. She will assume her duties as president on July 1, 2023.
If you were unable to join us for this afternoon’s announcement, I encourage you to view an archive of our video introduction, read our full news release, access videos and statements of support, and drop a note of welcome for Dr. McCall at wooster.edu/presidential-announcement.
We knew that the role of leading The College of Wooster would present a compelling opportunity for the right candidate. We are nationally known for teaching, for undergraduate research, and for experiential learning, and we have a far-reaching reputation as a “Best Value College” and a “College that Changes Lives.” A Wooster education is a transformational experience for the students who spend their four undergraduate years with us, and for the faculty and staff who teach and support our students and campus. We knew that Wooster’s presidential opportunity, too, would present a transformational experience personally for the right leader, the right match.
We believe we have found that right match in Dr. McCall. She comes to Wooster with a devotion to the liberal arts, to international education with a track record of building international academic programs, an ability to lead successful philanthropic strategy, proven success leading through crisis—whether COVID or the aftermath of devastating hurricanes, an attentiveness to community culture and morale for all who work and study on campus, and a deep and demonstrated commitment to equity and diversity.
Dr. McCall currently serves as provost and senior vice president of academic affairs and professor of languages at Xavier University of Louisiana—ranked fifth among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report and first among all institutions for the number of African American graduates completing medical school and multiple Ph.D. programs.
Since joining Xavier in 2016, Dr. McCall has collaborated with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community organizations to create and implement a new core curriculum and nearly two dozen new graduate and undergraduate degree programs in areas of growing student interest, emerging knowledge, and professional opportunities. She has also supported the Center for Equity, Justice and the Human Spirit; inter-university pipeline programs and partnerships, including international partnerships; and a major collaboration with southeast Louisiana’s largest health system.
She has led and contributed to successful capital fundraising campaigns and grants from the Andrew W. Mellon, W.K. Kellogg, and Kresge foundations, the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and the National Science Foundation to support the staffing and infrastructure for much of Xavier’s programmatic growth over the past six years.
Dr. McCall is a seasoned administrator with more than 16 years of experience in dean-level roles at Xavier, Tulane University, Binghamton University, and the University of Denver, and another 17 years of classroom experience as a faculty member in Tulane’s French and women’s studies departments.
She is a scholar of nineteenth century French fiction and life writing, recognized for her research into French novelist and feminist trailblazer George Sand. Despite a full-time administrative role, she remains active in her scholarship, presenting papers and organizing workshops in the U.S. and internationally.
As the chair of the U.S. Section of Scholars at Risk, she is a passionate advocate of academic freedoms and human rights for scholars around the world.
Dr. McCall earned her bachelor’s degree in French and German from the University of Virginia and spent nine years in Europe earning a master’s and doctoral degree in French literature from the Université Strasbourg.
The Board is eager to welcome Dr. McCall and her husband Dr. Ravi Palat to the Wooster community in July. Until then, we look forward to a special campus Meet & Greet with Dr. McCall on Friday, Jan. 27. Details soon to come.
I want to express my deep gratitude to Interim President Dr. Wayne Webster, who has been a thoughtful, dedicated, and terrific leader for Wooster during the past five months and who will continue to serve in the role through to the transition this summer.
Thank you for all you do to support the mission of The College of Wooster. I am so excited for the future and all that we will continue to accomplish together!
With gratitude,
Sally
Sally J. Staley ‘78
Chair of The College of Wooster Board of Trustees
Posted in Presidential Search on December 8, 2022.
