Welcoming a Thoughtful, Distinguished Leader to Lehigh

For incoming college or university presidents, perhaps the biggest challenge is simply getting to know the DNA of the institution they are about to lead.

Every educational institution has its own proud academic history, revered traditions, ever-changing culture and unique opportunities. To be a successful leader, a college or university president must come to understand, in a very fundamental way, the elements that make the institution special. It’s no small challenge, even for the best and brightest of leaders. I can assure you it’s a challenge that our next president, John D. Simon, is already successfully tackling head-on.

Lehigh was proud to introduce John as our 14th president in October. Over the past several months, he has worked diligently with me to get to know Lehigh and the people who teach, work, live and learn here. The more John and I work together, the further convinced I am that Lehigh absolutely made the right choice in selecting him to lead our university forward.

John has gone out of his way, while keeping up with the many demands of his duties as executive vice president and provost at the University of Virginia, to meet with Lehigh faculty, staff, students, alumni and community leaders. He is learning about this institution and all of the people who make Lehigh such a remarkable place. John is immersing himself in the many components that make Lehigh’s future so bright: major initiatives such as Mountaintop and the changing ways we think about the Lehigh learning experience; faculty who are conducting dynamic research while challenging our students to aspire to greater accomplishments; devoted staff who work on the front lines every day to make Lehigh even better, and alumni whose love for this institution never ceases to amaze. John will properly position Lehigh to deal with the ever-changing macro-challenges facing the world of higher education today.

Those who have had the opportunity to meet John agree that it truly is a pleasure to interact with him. John is personable, accessible, highly intelligent and forward-thinking. One of John’s greatest strengths is his willingness to sincerely listen when people speak. As you will read in our cover story for this issue of the Bulletin, John’s willingness to listen and then act decisively are traits that distinguish him as a respected leader in higher education today. His accomplishments at the University of Virginia follow an equally impressive tenure at Duke University, where he served as vice provost, guiding the university’s successful strategic planning process, supporting numerous academic enhancements and leading improvements to campus culture and climate.

John’s academic credentials speak for themselves, but I believe his stellar reputation speaks even louder. His friends and colleagues from Virginia and Duke describe him as “a bridge builder” and rave about his ability to “inspire and motivate.” They praise his knack for bringing out the best in the people around him, and consider him to be one of the brightest and most effective leaders they’ve ever worked with.

John has served Virginia and Duke with great distinction. Soon he will be dedicating his efforts fulltime to Lehigh. I am confident he will continue to enhance this institution’s 150-year-old reputation--a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and producing outstanding and highly sought-after graduates from a first-rate residential learning environment.

Lehigh is fortunate to welcome John to campus as our 14th president on July 1. In the interim, I welcome your continued support and assistance in helping John feel at home. Lehigh is and always will be a special place. With John’s leadership, and with your support, there is no limit to what Lehigh can accomplish in the years to follow. I have never been more bullish about Lehigh’s future.