Dr. Nathan O. Hatch is a distinguished scholar and former President of Wake Forest University, a position he held for 16 years before stepping down in 2021. Under his leadership, Wake Forest achieved significant milestones, including the completion of its first billion-dollar capital campaign and the establishment of nationally recognized programs in career services, leadership, and character. Hatch was instrumental in advancing campus diversity and spearheading the development of the Innovation Quarter in downtown Winston-Salem, transforming former factories into modern offices and laboratories. He also played a key role in aligning Wake Forest’s Medical School with Atrium Health, contributing to the creation of one of the largest academic healthcare networks in the nation.
A leading authority in American religious history, Hatch is renowned for his influential 1989 book, The Democratization of American Christianity, which explores the impact of early 19th-century religious movements on American culture and democracy. He has authored or edited seven additional books on American history, with his latest work, The Gift of Transformative Leaders, published by Cambridge University Press in 2024.
Hatch spent three decades at Notre Dame, where he taught American history and held various administrative roles. His contributions to higher education extend to his service as chair of the board for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and as a board member for the American Council on Education. In 2014, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
