Ron Cole, PhD

President

Ron Cole, Ph.D., is the 23rd president of Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. As president, he leads the senior leadership team of the College to drive holistic student success and an interdisciplinary, 21st century education.

President Cole has an understanding of higher ed from multiple dimensions – as a student, faculty member, parent of a graduate, provost and dean, now president. He established student retention as a top collaborative priority at the College through the Gardner Retention Performance Management program, achieving a five percent increase in first-to-second year retention within two years. He planned and led strategic work to achieve operational savings while investing in the Allegheny Lab for Innovation and Creativity and new programs including Informatics, Business, Art/Science and Innovation.

Dr. Cole was recognized in 2021 by the Council of Independent Colleges with their Chief Academic Officer Award.

During his time as president, the College has received the highest amount of donor support in its 209-year history, which will ensure that Allegheny College continues to provide an exceptional education, giving students and faculty the freedom to explore new ideas and pursue innovative solutions to real-world problems.

Dr. Cole is a proud alumnus of Allegheny College, having earned a B.S. in Geology in 1987. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the University of Rochester (NY).