David A. Greene has led Colby College through transformational change since becoming its 20th president in 2014. The college has added new academic programs in areas such as data science, computational biology, genomics, and environmental humanities. It has also dramatically enhanced its arts programs, collections, and infrastructure, including the construction of three new arts buildings since 2021. 

To more deeply connect Colby’s curriculum to the world’s most pressing challenges and to afford all students opportunities for meaningful global, research, and internship experiences, the College created centers of exploration in the areas of artificial intelligence, biosciences innovation, climate change and the environment, entrepreneurship, the arts, and public policy. In 2022, Colby established a 500-acre island campus off the coast of Maine. 

These initiatives, along with one of the most generous financial aid packages for low- and middle-income families, have made Colby the most sought-after liberal arts college in the country.  

Colby’s commitment to its home city of Waterville, Maine has become a national model for partnership and reinvestment. The college spearheaded $200 million in investments downtown, and students living in Colby’s Main Street residence hall contribute to the community through independent civic engagement projects. 

 Previously, Greene held leadership roles at University of Chicago, Brown University, and Smith College. He serves on the boards of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the German Marshall Fund, and the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and two master’s degrees and a doctoral degree from Harvard University