Steven Knapp is an American academic who served as the 16th

President of the George Washington University The President of the George Washington University is the chief executive officer of the George Washington University, appointed by the GW Board of Trustees and charged "to establish the University's vision, oversee its teaching and research missi ...

, in

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

, succeeding Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. He currently serves on the boards of the World Affairs Council, the Economic Club of Washington, DC, the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, and the

National Symphony Orchestra The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1930, its principal performing venue is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It also performs for the annual National Mem ...

, as well as serving as a fellow of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...

and the

Modern Language Association The Modern Language Association of America, often referred to as the Modern Language Association (MLA), is widely considered the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature. The MLA aims to "st ...

. Prior to GW, Knapp served as the dean of

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

's School of Arts and Sciences. On June 7, 2016, Knapp announced that he would not seek a third term as University President, and therefore would be concluding his tenure as in July 2017.

Early life

Knapp grew up in

Westwood, New Jersey Westwood (known as "The Hub of the Pascack Valley") is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 10,908,Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He did his graduate work at

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

, earning a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in 1977 and his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

in 1981. A specialist in

Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

, literary theory, and the relation of literature to philosophy and religion, Knapp taught English literature at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

before serving at the Johns Hopkins University. Knapp was the provost (1996–2007) and then Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (1994–1996) at

Knapp presidency

Knapp's priorities include enhancing the university's partnerships with neighboring institutions, expanding the scope of its research, strengthening its worldwide community of alumni, enlarging its students' opportunities for public service, and leading its transformation into a model of urban sustainability. During Knapp's tenure, the university constructed District House, a large residence hall and the Science and Engineering Hall, both located on the Foggy Bottom campus. The Science and Engineering Hall is the largest academic and laboratory building in the nation's capital. Under Knapp, the $1 Billion "Making History: The Campaign for GW" fundraising initiative was successfully completed. Knapp declined to seek a third term as university president and stepped down in November 2017. He continues to teach at the school today.

Board and leadership positions

Knapp serves on the boards of directors of the Economic Club of Washington; the Greater Washington Urban League; the World Affairs Council; and the

and the boards of trustees of the Washington National Cathedral Foundation and

Al Akhawayn University Al Akhawayn University ( ar, جامعة الأخوين, Berber: ''Tasdawit En Wawmaten'') is an independent, public, not-for-profit, coeducational university located in Ifrane, Morocco, from the imperial city of Fez, in the Middle Atlas Mou ...

in Ifrane, Morocco. He also serves on the senior advisory board of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the executive committee of the

Council on Competitiveness The Council on Competitiveness is an American non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. The Council’s goal is to increase the United States' economic competitiveness in the global marketplace. The Council also works to bring high-value ...

, and the education committee of the

Federal City Council Federal City Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes economic development in the city of Washington, D.C., in the United States. Incorporated on September 13, 1954, it is one of the most powerful private groups in the city, a ...

. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of the

, and a member of the

References

External links

About President Steven Knapp
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Knapp, Steven Presidents of George Washington University Johns Hopkins University faculty Living people Yale University alumni Cornell University alumni Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences People from Walnut Creek, California People from Westwood, New Jersey George Washington University faculty Year of birth missing (living people)