Dean G. McCurdy will be invested as Colby-Sawyer College’s 10th president at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at Sawyer Fine Arts Center. 

McCurdy, who took office June 1, has been an effective and innovative leader at small private liberal arts colleges and at large public colleges. He succeeds Susan D. Stuebner, who led Colby-Sawyer from 2016 to 2024. 

Students, staff, faculty, alumni, friends and community members are invited to the Investiture, as well as a reception that follows, and three affiliated events during Homecoming & Family Weekend, Oct. 17-19. For those unable to attend, a recording of the Investiture will be posted on the college website.  

Since the start of his tenure in June, McCurdy has been connecting with community members and business leaders, leading the development of the college’s next strategic plan and transforming the institution’s technology systems. 

“I am deeply honored to be president of Colby-Sawyer. Since its founding, this college has evolved to meet new needs and generations,” said McCurdy. “We will continue to reflect and reimagine how to best meet this moment and serve our students and communities.” 

At the Investiture, McCurdy will be formally welcomed by Lisa M. Hogarty ’81, chair of the Board of Trustees; Susan Glasheen Reeves ’88, professor emerita and chief nursing executive for Dartmouth Health; Jon P. Keenan, professor and Sonja C. Davidow ’56 Endowed Chair of Fine Arts; Nancy Staszkiewicz, mailroom coordinator; Bebe Casey, chair of the New London Board of Selectmen; Abdalla Faiad ’28, president of the Student Government Association; and Derek McCurdy, chief information officer at Nova Scotia Community College and Dean McCurdy's twin brother. 

“Even though Dean hit the ground running on June 1, we are thrilled to formally invest him as the 10th president of Colby-Sawyer at this wonderful event,” said Hogarty. “The energy and enthusiasm he has injected into our college and the New London community has been infectious and fun to experience.” 

The first Investiture-affiliated event is Exploring AI at CSC at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, in Clements Hall in Ivey Science Center. A panel of administrators, faculty and students will discuss how the college is integrating AI into campus culture, educational offerings and operations. Panelists will talk about the importance of preparing students to work meaningfully in a world with AI and developing practices that leverage technology to center human connections. 

People can connect with McCurdy at a second affiliated event — Meet the President: A Conversation with Dean McCurdy — at 9:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, in Room 201 of Ivey Science Center. He will talk about his vision for the institution and engage with attendees. Coffee and pastries will be served. 

The third affiliated event is Dueling Pianos with John Arden Music at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Sawyer Fine Arts Center. The high-energy, interactive show features accomplished musicians, song requests, sing-alongs and comedy. 

McCurdy said he has been genuinely welcomed by students and colleagues, as well as by Charger alumni and friends around the world during his first 137 days. “From the moment Viven and I drove up the hill and onto campus last winter, we knew we had found our home,” he said. 

Prior to joining Colby-Sawyer, McCurdy was provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Ivy Tech Community College, a 19-campus system in Indiana with more than 200,000 students. In his nearly eight years with the system, including as chancellor of the Kokomo campus, he spurred record enrollment, boosted student achievement through experiential education, provided free summer classes for high school youth, achieved a campus record for giving and established employer-based tuition assistance for adult learners. 

As associate vice president for instruction at Kalamazoo Valley Community College in Michigan, McCurdy launched a health-focused campus that catalyzed community revitalization and workforce development through sustainable food education and preparation.  

And, at Albion College, he was a tenured biology professor and award-winning researcher studying marine and coastal systems. Earlier in his career, he was a visiting professor of biology and field manager of the Coastal Studies Center at Bowdoin College.  

McCurdy, who grew up in New Brunswick, Canada, holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in biology from Acadia University and a doctorate in biology from Carleton University. He is married to Vivien McCurdy; the couple have two adult sons, Ian and Ryan. 

Colby-Sawyer was founded in 1837 as New London Academy, a coeducational secondary school. In the 188 years since, the school has evolved — to a junior college for women, a four-year college for women, and a coeducational college. In 2016, Colby-Sawyer launched its first graduate program. Today, Colby-Sawyer offers traditional undergraduate programs; online professional programs in nursing and health sciences; an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing; master’s-level programs in business, exercise science and social work; and a Doctor of Nursing Practice.