Houtman, Earlham president, announces retirement at end of academic year

Deanna Watson, Richmond Palladium-Item
·2 min read

RICHMOND, Ind. — Anne Houtman, president of Earlham College, will retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year, the college announced Monday.

Houtman, the 20th president of Earlham and the first woman at the helm, characterized her leadership role as "the most significant honor and joy of my career."

Anne Houtman, the 20th president of Earlham and the first woman at the helm, announced she will retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. Houtman characterized her leadership role "the most significant honor and joy of my career."
Anne Houtman, the 20th president of Earlham and the first woman at the helm, announced she will retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. Houtman characterized her leadership role "the most significant honor and joy of my career."

“I feel very proud of all that we have accomplished at Earlham, and am confident that Earlham is in a better place now than when I arrived," Houtman said in the letter sent to the Earlham campus. "I am certain that Earlham will be able to bring in a very strong 21st president in large measure because of all the hard work we have accomplished together over these years.”

Houtman assumed the helm of the college in July 2019.

While president, Houtman oversaw the launch of the “For Good” campaign, raising nearly $85 million, according to the college's announcement. The Epic Journey, Earlham's student success program aimed at elevating the student experience, expanded during her tenure.

“We are grateful that Anne will leave the College in a better place than she found it, with a solid and clearly articulated plan to move the College forward,” Tom Thornburg, chairman of the Earlham Board of Trustees, said in the announcement. “We know she, her leadership team, and the Earlham community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni will work hard toward the goals Anne has set out for Earlham in her remaining nine months at Earlham."

Earlham’s Board of Trustees will conduct a search for a new president in the coming weeks.

“I will be working as your full-time president at the same pace as I have throughout my time at Earlham; right up until my last day, I will be advancing our shared goals and priorities,” Houtman said in the announcement.

“We have made measurable progress on this journey," Houtman said, "and still we have a long way to go.

"I say ‘we’ because I will always be an Earlhamite. Every time I say ‘the world needs more Earlhamites,’ I feel it deeply in my heart and soul. This is important work we are doing in challenging times.”

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Earlham president to retire at end of academic year