Dr. Karlyn Crowley became the 19th president of Kalamazoo College on July 1, 2026, bringing a distinguished record of strategic leadership, academic innovation, community partnership and a deep belief in the transformative power of the liberal arts.

As president of Kalamazoo College, Crowley is focused on building on K’s long history of innovation while advancing its reputation for experiential learning, civic engagement and global understanding. She is committed to preparing students for lives and careers that demand both expertise and humanity in an increasingly complex world.

A respected leader, scholar, and national voice on the value of the liberal arts, she is widely recognized for translating bold ideas into action and for bringing people and organizations together around a shared vision for the future.

Before joining Kalamazoo College, Crowley served as provost at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she led a series of ambitious initiatives designed to strengthen student success, expand academic opportunity, and position the institution for continued growth. Her accomplishments include guiding Ohio Wesleyan’s first comprehensive general education revision in more than 50 years, launching new programs in public health, entrepreneurship, nursing, and engineering, establishing a university-wide faculty development center, and advancing campus-wide efforts to foster constructive dialogue and civic engagement. She also co-led Ohio Wesleyan’s “Move the Needle” initiative, which produced the largest first-to-second-year retention increase in the university’s history.

Throughout her career, Crowley has advanced this work by forging partnerships beyond campus—with community colleges and universities, philanthropic partners, and organizations like the Green Bay Packers, Schneider, and Humana—to build new pathways for students and secure resources that strengthen teaching and learning.

Prior to joining OWU in 2020, Crowley spent 18 years at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, where she served as the interim assistant vice president for academic affairs, founding director of the Cassandra Voss Center, and professor of English and women’s and gender studies. She holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Virginia and a B.A. in English and women’s studies from Earlham College.

Curriculum vitae, Web Version