List of University of Delaware people

The following is a list of University of Delaware people, which includes alumni, current and former faculty, and recipients of honorary degrees.

Alumni

Business

Authors

Artists

Politics

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Education

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Military

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Honorary degree recipients

Faculty

List of presidents

Although the University of Delaware claims it originated in a one -oom school founded by the Rev. Dr. Francis Alison in 1743 in New London, Pennsylvania,[24] this list is restricted to individuals who held office since 1834.[25]

The following persons have served as president of the University of Delaware:[25][26]

No. Image President Term start Term end Ref.
Presidents of Newark College (1833–1843)
1a Eliphalet Wheeler Gilbert 1834 1835
2 Richard Sharpe Mason 1835 1840
1b Eliphalet Wheeler Gilbert 1840 1847
Presidents of Delaware College (1843–1921)
3 James Patriot Wilson, Jr. 1847 1850
4 William Augustus Norton 1850 1850
5 Matthew Meigs 1850 1851
6 Walter Scott Finney Graham 1851 1854 [a]
7 Daniel Kirkwood 1854 1859
8 Ellis James Newlin 1856 1859
interim
9
George Franklin Wiswell 1859 1859
10 Rathmell Wilson 1859 1870
11 William Henry Purnell 1870 1885
12 John Hollis Caldwell 1885 1888 [b]
interim
13
Lewis Potter Bush 1888 1888
14 Albert Newton Raub 1888 1896
15 George Abram Harter 1896 1914
16 Samuel Chiles Mitchell 1914 1920
Presidents of University of Delaware (1921–present)
17 Walter Hullihen 1920 1944 [a]
18 Wilbur Owen Sypherd 1944 1946
19 William Samuel Carlson 1946 1950
interim
20
Allan Philip Colburn 1950 1950
21 John Alanson Perkins 1950 1967 [c]
interim
22
John William Shirley [d] 1967 1968
23a Edward Arthur Trabant 1968 June 30, 1987
24 Russel C. Jones July 1, 1987 October 24, 1988 [27][28][29]
acting Edward R. Pierce October 24, 1988 October 26, 1988
23b Edward Arthur Trabant October 26, 1988 April 30, 1990 [30][31]
25 David P. Roselle May 1, 1990 June 30, 2007 [32][33][34]
26 Patrick T. Harker July 1, 2007 June 30, 2015 [e] [35][36]
acting
27
Nancy Targett July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016 [37]
28 Dennis Assanis July 1, 2016 June 30, 2025 [38][39]
interim Laura Carlson July 1, 2025 December 31, 2025 [40]
29 January 1, 2026 present [41]

Table notes:

  1. ^ a b Died in office
  2. ^ Forced to resign by trustees
  3. ^ Resigned to lead Dun & Bradstreet
  4. ^ Provost
  5. ^ Resigned to lead the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

References

  1. ^ a b "UD Messenger - Wall of Fame". www1.udel.edu. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "David Brady's Biography". Just The Facts by VoteSmart. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  3. ^ "Mayor Michael S. Purzycki". The City of Wilmington, Delaware. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  4. ^ "PSIR Convocation".
  5. ^ Schudel, Matt (July 16, 2011). "Rod Beaton, USA Today sportswriter, dies at 59". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Retrieved January 12, 2022.; Schudel, Matt (July 23, 2011). "Sportswriter was part of original staff of USA Today". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 11.
  6. ^ Volin, Ben (April 14, 2013). "Club's secret weapon is tough 'capologist'". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved June 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Honorary Degrees / UD Alumni Relations". UDConnection.com. 2008. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  8. ^ "Biden urges grads to be informed participants in the world". Udel.edu. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  9. ^ "Thespian Adrian Hall receives honorary degree". Udel.edu. January 23, 2007. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  10. ^ "UD welcomes Class of 2008". Udel.edu. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  11. ^ "UD trustees select nine individuals for special honors". Udel.edu. May 25, 2004. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  12. ^ Johnson, Richard L. "The University of Delaware Conferrs [sic] Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree on J. Willard Marriott Jr. / February 2005". Hotel-online.com. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  13. ^ "President of Ireland receives honorary doctor of laws degree". Udel.edu. October 11, 2002. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  14. ^ "ARAMARK CEO awarded honorary degree". Udel.edu. May 4, 2006. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  15. ^ "Environmentalist Russell W. Peterson receives honorary degree". Udel.edu. May 27, 2006. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  16. ^ "Seven leaders, scholars receive honorary degrees". Udel.edu. May 31, 2008. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  17. ^ "W.D. Snodgrass receives doctor of humane letters". Udel.edu. May 28, 2005. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  18. ^ "Susan Stroman receives honorary doctorate". Udel.edu. October 31, 2005. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  19. ^ "Human genome icon speaks at UD April 16". Udel.edu. April 8, 2004. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  20. ^ Nails, Katie (2019). "In memoriam: William R. "Bill" Fleischman. Jr". The Review. University of Delaware. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  21. ^ Bies, Jessica; Tresolini, Kevin (May 2, 2019). "Bill Fleischman, former reporter for The News Journal and Philadelphia Daily News, dies". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  22. ^ "Millicent O. Sullivan". Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at University of Delaware. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Gilman, Marcus Davis (1897). The Bibliography of Vermont: Or, A List of Books and Pamphlets Relating in Any Way to the State. With Biographical and Other Notes. Free Press association. p. 290.
  24. ^ "Newark Academy". Delaware Public Archives. State of Delaware.
  25. ^ a b "Past Presidents". University of Delaware.
  26. ^ "From the Past-Presidential Profiles". University of Delaware Messenger. Vol. 6, no. 3. 1997.
  27. ^ "University trustees pick Russel C. Jones for presidential post". The News Journal. January 25, 1987. p. 1 – via newspapers.com. Russel C. Jones, vice president for academic affairs at Boston University, will be the 23rd president of the University of Delaware. Jones, 51, will replace E.A. Trabant on July 1, ending Trabant's 19 years as president. Last May, Trabant said he would retire this June and hoped to join the school's faculty as a math professor.
  28. ^ "UD awaits its new president". The News Journal. June 25, 1987. p. 18 – via newspapers.com. On Wednesday, Russel C. Jones will become the 23rd president of the University of Delaware, replacing E.A. Trabant in one of the most influential jobs in the state. Jones, 51, had been vice president for academic affairs and development at Boston University for the past six years. He was selected from among 217 candidates by the University of Delaware's board of trustees in January to become Trabant's successor.
  29. ^ "UD's president Jones resigns". The News Journal. October 25, 1988. p. 1 – via newspapers.com. University of Delaware President Russel C. Jones resigned on Monday, ending a 15-month tenure marked by controversy over minority issues. Jones cited differences with the "long-term leadership" of the university's Board of Trustees. The resignation, effective immediately, shocked many in the university community but came as no surprise to Trustee Andrew B. Kirkpatrick who will become chairman of the trustees in December... Kirkpatrick said a special Board of Trustees meeting will be convened as soon as possible to discuss the resignation and a replacement for Jones, the university's 23rd president. Edward R. Pierce, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, became acting president Monday in accord with university bylaws. Jones will stay at the university as a professor in the college of engineering.
  30. ^ "UD names Trabant as president". The News Journal. October 27, 1988. p. 1 – via newspapers.com. The University of Delaware board of trustees on Wednesday tapped former President E.A. Trabant to serve as president until a replacement is found for Russel C. Jones, who resigned Monday. Trabant, 68, was president for 19 years before stepping down in June 1987 to teach mathematics. His new term, effective immediately, could last until 1990, the latest date set by the trustees for installation of a permanent successor to Jones, who served for less than 16 months.
  31. ^ "UD's Trabant steps down May 1". The News Journal. February 15, 1990. p. 22 – via newspapers.com. University of Delaware President E.A. Trabant will step down May 1 to make way for his successor, David P. Roselle, the former president of the University of Kentucky. The arrangement was worked out by the two presidents. Until May 1, Trabant will "fulfill all official university duties while taking a lead introducing Dr. Roselle to the university and the larger community," Trustees Chairman Andrew B. Kirkpatrick Jr. announced Wednesday... Trabant, the 22nd and 24th president, has been president since 1969, one of the longest presidencies of a major university in the modern era. After resigning in 1987, he was called back a year later to replace Russel C. Jones, who resigned in October 1988.
  32. ^ "Roselle named UD president". The News Journal. December 15, 1989. p. 1 – via newspapers.com. University of Kentucky president David P. Roselle, a mathematician who gained a reputation for integrity by his handling of a sports scandal, was named president of the University of Delaware on Thursday.
  33. ^ "David Roselle to step down as UD president". University of Delaware. May 23, 2006. UD President David P. Roselle announced that he will step down as president on or around May 1, 2007, a date 17 years to the day after he became the University's 25th president in 1990.
  34. ^ "UD presidential search committee seeks comments". University of Delaware. June 27, 2006. President David P. Roselle announced in May that he will be stepping down from the position that he has held since 1990. Roselle said he will remain in office through May 1, 2007, or until the Trustees have named a new president.
  35. ^ "Patrick Harker elected UD's 26th president". University of Delaware. December 1, 2006. The Executive Committee of the University of Delaware Board of Trustees has voted to elect Patrick T. Harker, dean of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, to serve as the 26th president of the University of Delaware... Harker will take office on July 1, 2007
  36. ^ "New endeavor". University of Delaware. March 2, 2015. University of Delaware President Patrick T. Harker announced today that he will step down as president to become president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. His new appointment is effective July 1.
  37. ^ "Presidential search". University of Delaware. March 13, 2015. The University of Delaware Board of Trustees has named a search committee to identify the institution's next president and has selected Nancy Targett, dean of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, to serve as acting president, effective July 1, Board Chairman Gil Sparks announced today. Current UD President Patrick T. Harker announced March 2 that he will step down June 30 to become president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
  38. ^ "UD's next president". University of Delaware. November 18, 2015. Dennis Assanis, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Stony Brook University, has been elected the next president of the University of Delaware, after a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees at a special meeting on Nov. 18... Assanis will take office on July 1, 2016, and Nancy M. Targett will continue to serve as UD's acting president until then.
  39. ^ "University of Delaware president announces plans to step down". University of Delaware. May 5, 2025. Dennis Assanis — who has led the University of Delaware since 2016 during a unique period of transformation and growth — announced today that he will step down from the presidency on June 30. Assanis, UD's 28th president, led the University...
  40. ^ "Laura Carlson named interim UD president". University of Delaware. May 15, 2025. The University of Delaware Board of Trustees has selected Provost Laura Carlson to serve as interim president of the University, effective July 1, Board Chair Terri Kelly announced today. Carlson will succeed Dennis Assanis, the University's 28th president who recently announced his plans to step down on June 30.
  41. ^ "Laura A. Carlson Appointed UD President". University of Delaware. December 9, 2025. The University of Delaware Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to appoint Laura A. Carlson — a distinguished educator, researcher and administrator with more than 30 years of experience in higher education — as the institution's 29th president, effective Jan. 1, 2026.