Grant H. Cornwell

Grant Cornwell is The College of Wooster’s 11th president. Prior to his appointment in 2007, he was vice president and dean of academic affairs at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., where he also served as associate dean of the first year from 1992 to 1997, and chair of the philosophy department from 1998 to 2002.

A philosopher by training, Cornwell’s scholarship and teaching focus on human rights, globalization, and critical race theory. He is co-editor of two books: Global Multiculturalism: Comparative Perspectives on Ethnicity, Race, and Nation and Democratic Education in an Age of Difference: Redefining Citizenship in Higher Education, and author of more than two dozen scholarly articles and book chapters, as well as a CD-ROM on the history of slavery and the sugar industry in St. Kitts.  He is nationally recognized for his work in defining liberal learning in a global environment.

Cornwell holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and biology from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree and doctorate in philosophy, both from the University of Chicago.

The College of Wooster

The College of Wooster is an independent liberal arts college, nationally recognized for an innovative curriculum that emphasizes mentored independent research.

Since 1948, each Wooster senior has worked one-on-one with a faculty adviser to create an original research project, written work, performance or art exhibit. Known as Independent Study or I.S., it is the culmination of a four-year journey to intellectual independence: an opportunity for every Wooster student to build a portfolio of skills and accomplishments that translate into career and graduate school opportunities. According to U.S. News & World Report, college presidents and deans regard it as one of the premier capstone programs in the nation.

Founded in 1866 by members of the Presbyterian Church who wanted to do “their proper part in the great work of educating those who are to mold society and give shape to all its institutions,” today the college enrolls approximately 1,800 students who choose from among 39 majors in the sciences, humanities, business and the arts, as well as a number of special programs.