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 mis ...

, 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 Stephen Joel Trachtenberg (born December 14, 1937) was the 15th President of the George Washington University, serving from 1988 to 2007. On August 1, 2007, he retired from the presidency and became GW's President Emeritus and University Professo ...

. He currently serves on the boards of the World Affairs Council, the Economic Club of Washington, DC, the

U.S. 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 National Symphony Orchestra, as well as serving as a fellow of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is a nonprofit organization that is independent and nonpartisan. CFR is based in New York Ci ...

and the Modern Language Association. Prior to GW, Knapp served as the dean of

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

'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. He is a 1973 graduate of

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

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 ...

, 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 '' ...

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 Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality * ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record * "Greater" (song), by MercyMe, 2014 *Greater Bank, an Australian ...

; the World Affairs Council; and the National Symphony Orchestra and the boards of trustees of the Washington National Cathedral Foundation and Al Akhawayn University in

Ifrane, Morocco Ifrane (Berber: ⵉⴼⵔⴰⵏ; ar, إفران) is a city in the Middle Atlas region of northern Morocco (population 14,659 as of November 2014). The capital of Ifrane Province in the region of Fès-Meknès, Ifrane is located at an elevation ...

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

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

, and a member of the Modern Language Association.

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)