Samuel Reid Spencer Jr. (June 6, 1919 – October 16, 2013) was an American academic administrator who served as the 14th president of
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after Revolutionary War general William Lee Davidson, who was killed at the nearby Battle of Cowan†...
from 1968 to 1983.
Early life and education
Originally from
South Carolina, Spencer graduated from Davidson in 1940, then serving in the
United States Army during
World War II. After the war, he earned a
PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
Entertainment
* '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series
* ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic
* Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group
** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...
from
Harvard University.
Career
Afterward, Spencer returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistant to then-president
John Rood Cunningham
John Rood Cunningham (July 3, 1891 – June 15, 1980) was the 12th president of Davidson College. Born in Missouri, Cunningham came to Davidson after spending several years in the ministry, including serving as president of Louisville Presbyteria ...
, while also becoming a professor of history. Spencer left Davidson to become president of
Mary Baldwin College, returning as president in 1968.
As president, Spencer led Davidson's successful attempt to become a co-educational institution. He also focused on minority student recruitment and retention and expanded the endowment. Spencer was also appointed by President
Jimmy Carter to the Board of Foreign Scholarships, which oversees the
Fulbright Program.
After leaving Davidson, Spencer became the president of the Virginia Foundation of Independent Colleges.
References
External links
Biography from the Davidson College Archives & Special Collections
Harvard University alumni
1919 births
2013 deaths
Davidson College alumni
Presidents of Davidson College
People from Rock Hill, South Carolina
People from Davidson, North Carolina
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