William Robinson
President Whitworth University
William (Bill) Robinson assumed his duties as the 17th president of Whitworth College (now University) in Spokane, Washington, in July 1993. He came to Whitworth from Manchester College, in Indiana, where he served as president from 1986-1993.Much of Robinson’s tenure at Whitworth has been devoted to his top priorities: serving students and strengthening the university's mission. He has also initiated and expanded lines of communication with alumni, friends, and other university constituencies.
Whitworth maintains a very positive trajectory under Robinson’s leadership. Over the past five years, freshman applications have increased from roughly 1,500 to more than 5,450; undergraduate enrollment has reached capacity, and, through steadily rising retention, the total student body has grown to 2,600. During Robinson’s tenure, Whitworth has completed a number of capital projects. Also, in both of the first two years of Christianity Today’s national survey on the attitudes of employees at Christian organizations, Whitworth was named the best workplace in its category (colleges/universities/seminaries).
Whitworth students are accustomed to seeing Bill among them. Both current students and alums mention how much they appreciate that he knows them by name and enjoys joking with them and discussing the big questions of life. Robinson’s connection with students is integral to his person and to his presidency. “My riches moments at Whitworth are the ones I share with students,” he says. “My calling is to work with and for them.”
Degrees and Honors
- Doctorate, University of Pittsburgh
- Master’s degree, Wheaton College
- Bachelor’s degree, University of Northern Iowa
Service
- Higher Education Leadership Group of Spokane, Founding Co-chair
- Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, Past Chair
- Independent Colleges of Washington, Chair Boards:
- Whitworth University
- Whitworth Foundation
- Princeton Theological Seminary
- ING Educators Advisory Board
- Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities
- Spokane Symphony
- U.S. Bank, Spokane/North Central Washington Region
