September 9, 2024
Dear Lycoming College Faculty & Staff,
For the past 11 years, President Kent Trachte has provided Lycoming College with bold leadership, dedicated service and a commitment to excellence. Now, Kent has announced to the board that he will retire effective June 2025. Kent and Sharon had originally planned on a June of 2024 retirement, but board leadership asked Kent if he would be willing to continue his leadership for another year in order to best position the College for a presidential succession.
In terms of accomplishments during his tenure, it is difficult to know where to start. Kent has several times expressed to me that he is most proud of launching a first-generation recruitment initiative based on partnerships with leading national charter schools and access programs. This has led to enrolling a student body that has become quantifiably more national, diverse and, in fact, global. To provide this student body with first rate instruction, Kent, early in his tenure, made it a goal to raise faculty salaries to attract, and keep, the best faculty possible. Additionally, many new academic programs have been added to the curriculum. Majors added during his term include computer science, biochemistry, neuroscience, medieval studies, film and video arts, anthropology, environmental science, performing arts management and new major tracks in archaeology. Minors in Latin American studies and entrepreneurship were also added.
Probably the most visible result of his leadership has been the transformation of the physical campus. During his 11-year term, $65 million was invested into campus facilities. Early years saw the construction of the Lynn Science Center followed by the Krapf Gateway Center, the Trachte Music Center (named in honor of President Trachte by donors and trustees), and then Keiper Stadium and UPMC Field. The Outdoor Leadership and Education program was established to promote student exposure to learning opportunities beyond the classroom, and the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences was formed to provide students with limitless opportunities for internships, study abroad, research and field experiences. Most recently, baseball has been reinstated, and with it the construction of Warrior Baseball Field in Brandon Park - a project that will have a direct and lasting positive impact on the broader Williamsport community. Additionally, residence halls have been renovated to meet current student expectations, classrooms in the Academic Center modernized, and science labs upgraded, all to ensure that the institution’s facilities reflect its programmatic strengths. Kent also oversaw the opening of the Lycoming College Art Gallery in downtown Williamsport.
Lycoming also completed the most successful comprehensive campaign in its history during Kent’s tenure. The board's established goal of $65 million was handily exceeded, with $79.2 million raised in support of the previously mentioned capital projects, new academic programs, endowed scholarships and the Lycoming Fund. Additionally, grants totaling $4 million from national and state governments were secured. Other, first ever, private grants were realized from the Mellon Foundation, Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Hearst Foundations, Booth Ferris Foundation and Morgan Foundation.
As a newly hired President, Kent worked to develop closer ties between Lycoming and the Williamsport community. His success in this initiative led to a partnership with local and state officials to create a new, and impressive, entrance to the campus. This cooperation, in what is known as Old City Williamsport, will be an ongoing project to beautify the area immediately South of campus. Lycoming has benefited with this now formal entryway to campus from Basin Street.
Lycoming College has grown impressively under president Trachte’s leadership. With a goal of becoming one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the country, our ranking by U.S. News and World Reports has climbed to 107, from 156, during his term. More notably, Lycoming’s success at graduating Pell Eligible students ranks it as # 7 among all national liberal arts colleges in 2024.
With the president’s planned retirement, the board now begins one of its most important duties: finding a new leader. Those wheels have already been set in motion. A presidential search committee has been assembled for this task. This committee is chaired by trustee Don Hughes, with member trustees William Evans, Leigh Howe, Colleen Heisey, Steven Johnson, Tammy Weber and myself. The faculty will be represented by David Andrew, Andrew Leiter and Sarah Silkey. Student Jordon Lewis rounds out this group. We have additionally engaged the search consulting firm, Academic Search, to lead a national search for top candidates. Our search consultants have confirmed what we all know. Lycoming has a compelling story to tell. This, combined with our financial stability and strong endowment will ensure that we attract the best and brightest of candidates. Our established timeline has the board announcing the 16th president of Lycoming College no later than March 2025.
Finally, I’ll pass along a comment the president made to the board after announcing his retirement. “Although this year will be my last one in office, I have no intention of slowing down or letting up. I am committed to handing off to my successor an institution that is both financially sound and well positioned to compete for students.” From the board’s perspective, Kent embodies Lycoming’s motto of “Think Deeply. Act Boldly.”
Best,
D. Mark Fultz ’80
Chair of the Lycoming College Board of Trustees