Honoring President William L. Fox’s deep commitment to student success
The St. Lawrence University community will honor President William L. Fox ’75 and his commitment to every student’s success by naming the current Center for Student Achievement the Fox Center for Academic Opportunity.
Fox, who was appointed president in 2009 and will retire from St. Lawrence on June 30, 2021, is known throughout the Laurentian community and beyond for his forward-thinking approach to how St. Lawrence provides a liberal arts education that opens doors and possibilities. Throughout his presidency, he has put current and future St. Lawrence community members at the center of his work to ensure programs, buildings, and spaces would exceed their needs.
“In the three years I have known President Fox, I have watched with awe in his steadfast commitment to providing the best possible student experience at St. Lawrence,” says Thelomathesian Society President Molly Thompson ’22. “The Fox Center for Academic Opportunity will continue President Fox’s legacy of ensuring all students of different backgrounds, abilities, and academic interests have the individualized resources they need to succeed.”
The Fox Center for Academic Opportunity will be further enhanced through a $1 million grant made by The Eisner Foundation, founded by Jane Breckenridge Eisner ’64 and her husband, Michael D. Eisner, in support of an endowed fund for the newly named and renovated center.
“Michael and I are delighted to celebrate the tenure of President William Fox in such a special way,” says Jane Eisner. “His inspired leadership and profound humanity has always been student-focused and the Fox Center will continue his vision to ensure that we see in each individual student during their four years on campus an example of human adaptability and the capacity for goodness walking our college paths.”
The Center, located in the recently renovated Madill Hall, is an inviting, technologically advanced space located between the Sullivan Student Center and the Johnson Hall of Science. Various academic advising and support offices are located alongside one another, as well as testing and study rooms and several collaborative spaces, which has created a support “hub” in a central location that makes it easier for students to stop in and take advantage of its countless resources. The renovations were made possible thanks to gifts as part of The Campaign for Every Laurentian.
The center includes Academic Advising, Sophomore Journeys, Career Connections, the First-Year Program, Student Accessibility Services, the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. All of these are key programs that support the academic journey of St. Lawrence students.
The University has established a fund that will forever honor President Fox’s legacy at St. Lawrence. Email campaign@stlawu.edu to request more information.