Leo M. Lambert is a professor and president emeritus of Elon University, where he served as president from 1999-2018. During his tenure as president, Lambert led two, ten-year strategic plans that transformed the university. A chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the U.S., was established at Elon in 2010 following major investments in arts and sciences programs, world languages, honors, and support for faculty scholarship. Elon’s professional schools of business, law, health sciences, communications and education also achieved top accreditations and distinctions during his presidency. Today Elon is recognized widely for excellence in experiential learning, including its programs in study abroad, undergraduate research, civic engagement, and interfaith cooperation. More than 100 buildings were added to Elon’s campus during Lambert’s presidency.
Lambert is the coauthor of The Undergraduate Experience: Focusing Institutions on What Matters Most and Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College. A recognized leader in higher education, Lambert currently serves on the boards of the Association of Governing Boards, The Washington Center, and the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education and has previously served on the boards of the American Council on Education, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He is also a senior fellow for religious pluralism for the Aspen Institute’s Inclusive America Project and the Interfaith Youth Core. In 2009, he received the inaugural William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence in Experiential Education from the National Society for Experiential Education. Lambert holds honorary doctoral degrees in humane letters from his alma mater, SUNY Geneseo and Jacksonville University.
