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As his administrative career
continued, Trachte assumed increasing
responsibilities. He served as associate
vice president and dean of freshmen for
nine years and associate provost and dean
for educational services for three years
before being named dean of the college
in 2003.
As dean of the college, one of his
most important endeavors was leading
an effort to establish F&M’s College
House System, a residential system led
by faculty and governed by students. It
represents a distinctive way of connecting
students’ lives in the residential
environment with the liberal arts values
that inform the curriculum. He says it
represents the completion of the project
of reimagining that began with the first-
year seminar program.
“It reimagines holistically how
students enter into F&M and its liberal
arts culture, which permeates both the
curriculum and experiences found beyond
the boundaries of the formal classroom,”
he said. “Through these two initiatives
the faculty has reshaped the way students
experience the liberal arts at F&M.”
Primed and ready
When Trachte was named president in
mid-November by the board of trustees,
he was well aware of Lycoming’s 200-
year history and how the college had
been recently transformed into a national
liberal arts and sciences institution under
the leadership of the board and President
James Douthat. Prior to assuming the
helm on July 1, Trachte made numerous
trips to Williamsport to acquaint himself
with the various members of the campus
community. Those meetings, luncheons
and one-on-one discussions gave him
the perfect opportunity to meet his new
teammates – students, faculty, staff,
trustees and alumni – and learn more
about this place that means so much to so
many people.
He feels well-prepared for his next
challenge.
“I believe the residential liberal
arts college is the best form of higher
education that has been invented,”
Trachte said. “During my presidency, I
want Lycoming College to compete for
the greater recognition that it deserves.
There is extraordinary potential at this
institution.”
Lycoming Magazine
caught up with
Trachte during his first few days on
the job.
What is the key to being a
successful college leader?
Inspiring the community toward a
vision of excellence and then generating
the resources needed to bring ideas to
fruition.
As a longtime college administrator,
what is the most important thing
you’ve learned about leadership?
There is a popular notion that strong
leaders are singular figures who do things
on their own and deserve credit for what-
ever happens. I believe that this is a myth.
Rather, the most important thing about
leadership is inspiring the whole com-
munity to engage and then enabling them
to imagine the things that they can do
together. It also involves putting in place
the organizational structures that make it
possible for people to work productively
and move in concert. That is the essence
of leadership for me – creating an
environment where transformational
change becomes possible.
What excites you about serving as
Lycoming’s 15
th
president?
Having read John Piper’s history of
Lycoming College, I see it as an
institution that has been evolving to-
ward ever-greater excellence since the
founding in 1812. I think the institution
is positioned to continue that evolution
and achieve even greater excellence
and recognition. This decade will be a
challenging and volatile one in higher
education, but Lycoming College has
some assets that will allow it not to just
weather this period, but to continue its
evolution toward greater excellence. One
of those assets is the faculty, which I
have had the opportunity to meet during
the course of the spring semester. I have
learned that the faculty is a dedicated
group of teachers and scholars who have
a formative influence on the young men
and women who attend here. Secondly,
thanks to Jim Douthat, Lycoming has the
financial strength to meet the challenges
of the next decade. I am excited because
I think Lycoming can make progress at a
time when many institutions are going to
find it difficult to maintain their current
positions and the quality of education that
they offer.
What would you like to convey
to the Lycoming College alumni?
Since my appointment, I have
discovered just what a special place
Lycoming College is in terms of the
faculty, staff, students and alumni – the
people who compose the college. I have
learned about the role it has played in the
history of higher education in America
and the impact it has on people. It really
is a special place. But, like many colleges,
it is a special place that is not adequately
recognized for just how exceptional it is.
Because of the leadership of all who have
come before – presidents, trustees, faculty
and the alumni – the college is positioned
for us to move in a very strategic and
aggressive way to advance the quality of
what is offered and achieve recognition
as one of the finest liberal arts colleges in
this country. That is where we are going.
As you settle into your new
surroundings, what are your
impressions of Williamsport?
Williamsport offers most of the
advantages of a big city. There is a
thriving arts community, diversity among
the population, excellent restaurants,
hotels and lots of interesting things to do
in the area. Yet, it also offers the close
sense of community that you would
find in a smaller town. Williamsport
offers the sophistication of a city and
the connectedness of a small town in
a physical setting that is absolutely
stunning. It is really unusual to find that
combination. For Sharon and me, both of
those things are important.
“I believe the residential
liberal arts college
is the best form
of higher education that
has been invented.”
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LYCOMING COLLEGE 2013 SUMMER MAGAZINE