Wilmington College selects Dr. James Reynolds as its 18th president

Wilmington College announced Wednesday the appointment of Dr. James Reynolds as the institution’s 18th president.

Reynolds, who has served as interim president for the past six months, takes over as the top executive of the 1,300-student college effective Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Reynolds, who holds a Ph.D. in biology from Illinois State University, came to Wilmington College in 2007 to serve as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. As president, he succeeds Dr. Daniel DiBiasio, who left WC last summer to become president of Ohio Northern University. 

Reynolds’ selection followed a national search in which dozens of candidates received consideration. Stanley Caine, Board of Trustees vice chairman, said that, after carefully evaluating the candidates, the Presidential Search Committee concluded Reynolds was the person best able to lead Wilmington College in the years ahead.

“His impressive academic credentials, his proven leadership skills, his strong commitment to, and affection for, Wilmington College, as well as his performance as the interim president over these past months make him the logical and best choice for the Wilmington presidency,” Caine said.

Reynolds said Wilmington College’s Quaker values and career-focused curriculum provide a “perfect fit” both personally and academically.

“I was a first generation college student, and what I learned from that experience is the value — and necessity — of a liberal education,” he said. “Wilmington College serves our students and society exceptionally well.”

Reynolds’ background reflects academic achievement and administrative excellence. 

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Drake University, he obtained a master’s degree in zoology from DePauw University. From 2003 through 2006, he was academic vice president and dean of the faculty at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Neb. Previously, he held various teaching and administrative positions at his alma mater, including associate dean and interim dean of the College of Pharmacy.

His scholarly work has been published extensively, and his classroom excellence has resulted in six “Teacher of the Year” awards. He was awarded an American Council on Education fellowship at Illinois Wesleyan University and a postdoctoral research fellowship from the National Institutes of Health.

Reynolds and his wife, Sue, have been married for 32 years. They have two daughters, one of whom is a student at Wilmington College.

About Wilmington College

Founded by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1870, Wilmington College welcomes persons of all faiths, races, and cultures. The College remains committed to that spirit of inclusion and continues to embrace such Quaker values as consensus-based decision making, humanitarian service, respect for all persons, international awareness, peace, and social justice. While these values come to the College from its Quaker affiliation, they are truly universal and embraced by many denominations and cultures. Wilmington College’s 2011-12 student enrollment is about 1,300 on its main campus in Wilmington, Ohio, and satellite campuses in the Cincinnati suburb of Blue Ash and at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

Wilmington College announced Wednesday the appointment of Dr. James Reynolds as the institution’s 18th president.

Reynolds, who has served as interim president for the past six months, takes over as the top executive of the 1,300-student college effective Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Reynolds, who holds a Ph.D. in biology from Illinois State University, came to Wilmington College in 2007 to serve as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. As president, he succeeds Dr. Daniel DiBiasio, who left WC last summer to become president of Ohio Northern University. 

Reynolds’ selection followed a national search in which dozens of candidates received consideration. Stanley Caine, Board of Trustees vice chairman, said that, after carefully evaluating the candidates, the Presidential Search Committee concluded Reynolds was the person best able to lead Wilmington College in the years ahead.

“His impressive academic credentials, his proven leadership skills, his strong commitment to, and affection for, Wilmington College, as well as his performance as the interim president over these past months make him the logical and best choice for the Wilmington presidency,” Caine said.

Reynolds said Wilmington College’s Quaker values and career-focused curriculum provide a “perfect fit” both personally and academically.

“I was a first generation college student, and what I learned from that experience is the value — and necessity — of a liberal education,” he said. “Wilmington College serves our students and society exceptionally well.”

Reynolds’ background reflects academic achievement and administrative excellence. 

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Drake University, he obtained a master’s degree in zoology from DePauw University. From 2003 through 2006, he was academic vice president and dean of the faculty at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Neb. Previously, he held various teaching and administrative positions at his alma mater, including associate dean and interim dean of the College of Pharmacy.

His scholarly work has been published extensively, and his classroom excellence has resulted in six “Teacher of the Year” awards. He was awarded an American Council on Education fellowship at Illinois Wesleyan University and a postdoctoral research fellowship from the National Institutes of Health.

Reynolds and his wife, Sue, have been married for 32 years. They have two daughters, one of whom is a student at Wilmington College.