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Thomas E. Cronin, originally from Milton, Massachusetts, earned a B.A. in history from Holy Cross College (Worcester, Massachusetts) and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University. Before entering academe, he served as a White House Fellow and staff member in 1966-67. Cronin was on the faculty of several colleges and universities, including the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1967-1970), Brandeis University (1975-1977), University of Delaware, Newark (1977-1979), and Colorado College (1979-1992). He was also a visiting professor at the University of California (1973-1974) and Princeton University (1985-1986). His research focuses on the American presidency, and he is the author of many scholarly publications on the presidency and American politics. Cronin was selected as Whitman College’s 12th president in the spring of 1993, and he and his wife, Tania Z. Cronin, arrived at Whitman the following August. During his tenure as president, several building renovations and additions were completed, a new campus center was built, construction on a new fitness center began, more than 20 sculptures and 1000 trees were added to the campus grounds, the college’s endowment tripled, and student applications for admission increased over 100%.

Cronin announced his retirement in January 2004 and stepped down from the Whitman College presidency on May 31, 2005.