Fall 2007

Grant H. Cornwell

Teacher, 11th College of Wooster president, husband, sailor, philosopher, basketball player,
father, professor, cook, scholar

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As a faculty member in the philosophy department at St. Lawrence University, a position he landed in 1986, Grant’s scholarship and teaching focused on ethics and social justice. He became particularly interested in comparing and analyzing racial dynamics in different multicultural societies, which he studied in Kenya, India, and throughout the Caribbean. In 2001, he took a sabbatical on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts to study how Kittitians understand their history of sugar and slavery, and how they represent it in the collective story of their nation.

Their year at St. Kitts gave the entire Cornwell family the opportunity to experience cultural diversity. As the only two white American children in a West Indian school, sons Tosh and Kelsey experienced differences in race and culture, power and privilege.

At St. Lawrence, Grant served as the associate dean of the interdisciplinary first-year program, chaired the philosophy department, helped develop a new major in global studies, and was appointed vice president and dean of academic affairs. As both an educator and administrator, he advocates for and practices the belief that problems are best solved when a variety of disciplines are consulted and when many cultures are represented. He has found great inspiration in what occurs when people of different disciplines, races, or cultures come together. “You listen for differences and draw upon them to create something new. The skill of integrating multiple perspectives into a synthetic whole should be one that every liberal arts graduate goes away with. The world needs that,” he says.

Grant’s 20 years at St. Lawrence gave him the opportunity to do what he loves best: put philosophical ideas into practice. He was one of the architects of an innovative program for first-year students that combined interdisciplinary courses, a living and learning component, and an integration of writing, research, and oral communication skills. “Today, the model has become a best practice for many liberal arts colleges, but 20 years ago it was experimental,” he says.

The work was fulfilling, and St. Lawrence, his alma mater, was close to his heart. And, although he thought he might some day like to lead a liberal arts college, he wasn’t really finished being dean when the Wooster presidential search began. “Usually when a search consultant would say, ‘Would you consider this presidency?’ I’d say, ‘No, I’m too busy.’ But when Wooster came on the horizon, I said, ‘Yes, let’s talk about this.’

“Like so many professors, I knew about the outstanding quality of Wooster’s distinctive curriculum. I have always had great respect for the academic integrity of the College, its vision, and its sense of purpose. It’s a place I believe in deeply.”

As he watches his first school year at Wooster unfold, his high opinion of the College has been reaffirmed, says Grant. “It’s a gift for me to be able to join a college of this quality and help lead it into the next era of prosperity.”

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