Theodore E. Long
President, Elizabethtown College
Dr. Theodore E. Long became the 13th president of Elizabethtown College in 1996. Previously he served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, and earlier he taught sociology at George Washington University, Hollins University and Washington and Jefferson College. A 1965 graduate of Capital University, Long earned a master's degree in sociology from Duke University (1968) and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Virginia (1979).
During his tenure, Elizabethtown has grown significantly in size, academic stature and financial strength as it implemented a comprehensive strategic plan and master facilities plan. The college has built distinctive programs of study around four signature emphases: global education, purposeful life work, experiential education, and relationship-centered learning, which will highlight its strong position among comprehensive liberal arts colleges across the country.
As a scholar, Dr. Long has studied and written on religious movements, religion and politics, religion and the economy, religious conversion, social change, socialization, and the training of physicians. He served as president of the Association for the Sociology of Religion in 1990-91, and has been active in many other scholarly and higher education associations. He is a trustee of Capital University, his alma mater, the largest Lutheran university in the country, has conducted numerous accrediting reviews as a visiting team leader, and is frequently engaged by colleges and other non-profits to lead strategic planning and board development processes.
