Michael K. Le Roy is an American academic administrator who served as the 11th president of

Calvin University Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reforme ...

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

Early life and education

Le Roy was born in

La Mesa, California La Mesa () is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, located east of downtown San Diego in Southern California. The population was 61,121 at the 2020 census, up from 57,065 at the 2010 census. Its civic motto is "the Jewel of ...

and grew up in

Bainbridge Island, Washington Bainbridge Island is a city and island in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is located in Puget Sound. The population was 24,825 at the 2020 census, making Bainbridge Island the second largest city in Kitsap County. The island is s ...

. He attended

Whitworth University Whitworth University is a private Christian university that is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1890, Whitworth enrolls nearly 2,600 students and offers more than 100 gradua ...

, where he studied international studies and peace studies. While studying at Whitworth, Le Roy traveled and studied in three Central American countries in the midst of civil war. He worked on trade policy in apartheid-era

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

through an internship with the

Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, Protestant tradition named for its form of ecclesiastical polity, church government by representative assemblies of Presbyterian polity#Elder, elders, known as ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Le Roy earned a PhD in political science from

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

in 1994. He also studied on a Fulbright Scholarship at

University of Gothenburg The University of Gothenburg () is a List of universities in Sweden, university in Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg. Founded in 1891, the university is the third-oldest of the current List of universities in Sweden#Public universities, S ...

Career

Le Roy taught as a visiting professor at the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest instit ...

. From 1994 to 2002, Le Roy taught political science at Wheaton College, where he chaired the department of politics and international relations, developed a new international relations major, and served for six years as the director of the Wheaton in Europe program. Le Roy was recognized with Wheaton's Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1998. He earned the Excellence in Teaching Award from the American Political Science Association in 1999. In 2002, he returned to Whitworth where he taught political science for three years before being appointed vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty. On June 11, 2012, Le Roy became the 10th president of

, at the time called Calvin College. On June 10, 2021, Le Roy announced that he would not be renewing his contract as president after June 30, 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Roy, Michael K. Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Calvin University faculty Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Whitworth University alumni Vanderbilt University alumni University of Gothenburg alumni