After five years as president of Emory & Henry College, John Wells will step down at the end of July.
He joined the private, liberal arts college in Emory in 2017 as provost before being named president in 2019.
An interim president will be named in the next few weeks to serve during the search for a successor to lead the school, which will become a university this fall.
In his resignation announcement, Wells cited a desire to spend time with his family, per a release from the college. His wife, Shannon Early, has been hired as associate vice chancellor for university advancement at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
“While it is very difficult to step down as president of an institution I greatly love, I also have a responsibility and a desire to support my wife, who has sacrificed much to support my career and is now looking to me to support hers,” Wells said in Friday’s statement.
He will take on a fundraising role at Lake Junaluska, a Christian retreat and conference center in North Carolina.
Wells will continue to serve in an advisory role as the university’s first chancellor, the school’s board of trustees approved on Thursday. Wells will assist in executing E&H’s strategic plan.
He is credited for overseeing the college’s transition to a university, the establishment of a business school, construction of new student housing, and development of a sports complex to support the school’s shift from Division III to Division II NCAA status.
Emory & Henry has added bachelor’s degree programs in computer science and engineering science during Wells’ tenure, along with master’s degree programs in mental health, addiction counseling and business administration.
Wells is also credited with three consecutive years of enrollment records during an era when small schools are struggling to attract students. In fall 2023, Emory & Henry had its largest undergraduate enrollment since 2004.
But the next president will still face big questions about the long-term health of the university. This spring, Wells spoke with the board of trustees as well as faculty and staff to warn that budget cuts are likely over the next few years to keep the school on solid financial footing.
