When Saint Leo University began the search for its next president, it knew it was looking for a star.
Instead, the search committee found three stars.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)
William J. “Bill” Lennox, Jr., a retired United States Army three-star lieutenant general, has been named as the ninth president in the university’s history. He was introduced at a campus news conference on Feb. 6. He assumes his new post this summer.
“It feels great,” Lennox said about taking on his new job. “I think it’s an amazing institution.”
Lennox is familiar with Saint Leo University. He served on the school’s board of trustees for six years before deciding to take on the president’s role.
Lennox has been part of the selection process from its inception, but not always in the role of a candidate for the job.
As a member of the search committee, he had turned down consideration before they began exploring other options.
The search committee found very qualified candidates out of more than 100 applications, Lennox said, but when they couldn’t reach a consensus, he was asked to reconsider. This time he said yes.
While running a college is no easy task, Lennox comes to the job with plenty of experience. He previously served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point for five years, an institution where he also received his bachelor’s degree in 1971. As superintendent, he performed similar duties to a president at a civilian college. Lennox believes that experience will help him in his new challenge.
In fact, Lennox sees similarities between the famous military academy and Saint Leo.
“Both of them are very interested in education, but education with an intent in mind, and a values system that backs that intent,” he said. A strong focus on students and a supportive faculty are also characteristics of both institutions, he said.
While Lennox comes to Saint Leo with plenty of accolades, he also has some pretty big shoes to fill.
Outgoing president Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. is retiring at the end of the academic year after serving in that role since 1997.
Under Kirk’s leadership, the university has more than doubled its student body, more than doubled its degree programs, renovated many facilities and added new land and buildings to its campus.
Lennox steps into the role with admiration for his predecessor’s success.
“I’ve been very impressed with the work Art Kirk has done,” he said. “Art’s a tough guy to follow.”
While he’ll be spending the next few months becoming more familiar with the institution’s financials and other details, Lennox has already identified potential challenges he’ll face when he steps into his new position.
Saint Leo, which has been at the forefront of higher education online programs, is facing stronger competition as more schools increase their presence on the Internet, Lennox said. And, as an institution with a strong military presence with learning centers at various military bases and community colleges, government budget cutbacks will provide new challenges as they serve that market.
Lennox also knows that the university has overcome obstacles in its history, so he won’t have to face them alone. Lennox plans to tap into his staff’s talents to help find solutions together.
“The strength of St. Leo is a culture that the faculty and the staff have come up with some great solutions to those problems in the past, and I want to encourage that and take advantage of that,” Lennox said. “There are some real experts out there and I want to capitalize on their knowledge and their strength in these different areas, and see what we can do.”
Lennox, 65, is at an age when many people consider slowing down, and with three children and five grandchildren he could spend his days in leisure. But it’s not in his nature to be idle. His spouse of 43 years, Anne, is used to him taking on engaging work and putting in considerable energy to ensure his endeavors are successful.
And, he’s ready to continue Saint Leo’s successful path and meet its future challenges head-on.
“I’m going to quote Art,” Lennox said of the university’s retiring president. “He says ‘Our best years are in front of us.'”
Published February 18, 2015
