Introducing ACG’s President-Elect: Edward C. Wingenbach

The American College of Greece (ACG) is pleased to announce that Edward C. WingenbachPh.D., will become the College’s eighth president, effective July 1, 2025. Currently, president of Hampshire College, MA, Dr. Wingenbach, will succeed Dr. David G. Horner, who will retire at the end of June 2025 as the second longest-serving president in the history of the College (2008 – 2025).

Ambassador Daniel B. Smith, Chair of the ACG Board and Search Committee, expressed his and the Board’s excitement about the appointment: Assisted by our search consultants, Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA), we were fortunate to attract a strong pool of candidates interested in the position. We are confident we have found the right leader to build on the College’s considerable momentum towards an even more impactful future in Greece and the wider region. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Wingenbach and his family to ACG this coming summer.

Since 2019, Dr. Wingenbach has led Hampshire College—a progressive liberal arts institution known for its innovative approach to education—through a remarkable turnaround. Under his guidance, the College saw an unprecedented enrollment surge, doubling applications since 2020 and increasing total enrollment by over 50%. His strategic vision revitalized Hampshire’s operations, strengthened its financial foundation, and spurred a renewed focus on addressing the pressing challenges of the 21st century. Dr. Wingenbach also led the Change in the Making campaign, raising over $46 million in operational support, including the three largest gifts in the College’s history. His efforts strengthened alumni engagement, increased the alumni giving rate to 35%, and secured over $13 million in state and federal support. In 2023, Hampshire became one of only 15 U.S. higher education institutions to achieve full carbon neutrality.

ACG’s president-elect announcement has garnered significant attention from both local and international media, with outlets such as The Boston Globe, National Public Radio (NPR) and Ekathimerini covering the news, highlighting Dr. Wingenbach’s leadership of the Hampshire turnaround.

Prior to the Hampshire presidency, Dr. Wingenbach’s career included leadership and administrative roles ranging from acting president, vice president and dean at Ripon College, WI, to associate provost,  Department of Government chair, Faculty Assembly chair, and International Relations Program director at the University of Redlands, CA. He has also held faculty appointments at San Diego State University and the University of South Carolina, where he received the Mortar Board Excellence in Teaching Award. With an academic research focus on democratic theory, the scholarship of teaching, and fostering inclusive, inquiry-driven learning environments, his scholarly work has earned him a respected voice in the academic community.

Looking forward to assuming the ACG presidency this July, Dr. Wingenbach shared his vision for the College: ACG has a distinguished history of contribution to Greece and American education; its development in recent years under the leadership of President Horner has been extraordinary. Now, with Greece taking bold steps to reform its higher education framework, an even more exciting future is possible. We look forward to working with the campus and the external community to advance ACG’s leadership in international education, advance new responses to global problems, and contribute to the vitality of Greece in the years ahead.

Dr. Wingenbach holds an undergraduate degree from Lake Forest College, IL, where he designed a course of study in Politics, Political Philosophy, and Religion, before moving to the University of Notre Dame, IN, where he earned a Ph.D. in Government and International Studies. He is married to Susan Rice, whom he met at the University of Redlands when Susan was the Executive Director of the San Bernardino County Art Council and later a member of the University Advancement staff. They have three children—Thelan Ulysses, Aletheia, and Maximilian.