The board of directors of the Teagle Foundation has voted unanimously to name Andrew Delbanco as president of the foundation to succeed Judith R. Shapiro beginning July 2018.
Mr. Delbanco is the Alexander Hamilton Professor of American Studies at Columbia University, where he has taught since 1985. He has been a member of the Teagle Foundation board of directors since 2009 and has served as chair of its program committee since 2014.
Walter C. Teagle III, chair of Teagle’s board of directors, commented that, “Andy will be a strong leader with vision and respect for the Teagle mission. He is a thoughtful, committed educator with over three decades of experience as a teacher and scholar. His life’s work has been dedicated to promoting excellence in teaching and improving and enhancing student learning.”
Mr. Delbanco earned his A.B. (summa cum laude), M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University. He has been a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences since 2001. That same year, he was named “America’s Best Social Critic” by Time. In 2006 he was honored with the Great Teacher Award by the Society of Columbia Graduates, and in 2013, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society. In 2012, he was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama.
Mr. Delbanco is the author of many books, including most recently College: What it Was, Is, and Should Be (Princeton University Press, 2012), which has been translated into several languages. Melville: His World and Work (Knopf, 2005) was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Biography, and was awarded the Lionel Trilling Award by Columbia University. Delbanco’s essays appear regularly in The New York Review of Books and other journals, on topics ranging from American literary and religious history to issues in higher education. His new book, The War Before the War: Fugitive Slaves and the Struggle for America’s Soul from the Revolution to the Civil War will be published by Penguin Press this fall.
Regarding his appointment, Mr. Delbanco said, “I am honored to lead the Teagle Foundation, whose mission is close to my heart. Now, more than ever, philanthropy can be an important force in higher education, especially on behalf of students whose aspirations are larger than their resources. I look forward to supporting liberal learning for students from all backgrounds and for the future of our democracy.”
Judith Shapiro began her Teagle presidency in 2013 and has served on the foundation’s board since 2009. Under her leadership, the foundation expanded its commitment to excellent liberal arts instruction at a wide range of institutions, including liberal arts colleges, comprehensive institutions, community colleges, and research universities. Stated Ms. Shapiro, "It is the Teagle Foundation's good fortune that Andy Delbanco will be assuming the presidency. He will guide the foundation's future work with focus and dedication while continuing to serve as an inspiring, eloquent voice for higher education."
Ms. Shapiro will continue her involvement in various non-profit boards and advisory committees, including the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Scholars at Risk, and University of the People.