University

10 Feb 09

Professor Richard Carwardine will take over as President of Corpus Christi College in January

Corpus Christi College has announced the election of Professor Richard Carwardine FBA as its 31st President.

Professor Carwardine, a graduate of Corpus, is currently Rhodes Professor of American History at Oxford and specialises in 19th century American history. He will be taking over the role at the start of next year from Sir Tim Lankester who has been Corpus Christi’s President for nine years.

His recent biography of Abraham Lincoln won Professor Carwardine the prestigious Lincoln Prize, which is awarded annually since 1991 for the best non-fiction historical work on the American Civil War. This month he received the prestigious Order of Lincoln, the highest honour that can be awarded by the State of Illinois.

Professor Carwardine said: ‘It's an extraordinary privilege for an Old Corpuscle to be invited to take up the presidency of his undergraduate college. I can barely credit my good fortune.

‘One particular pleasure will be getting to meet many old members. I'm looking forward enormously to being involved once again in the every day life of Corpus, and to working with the Fellows, students and staff to maintain and foster the College's reputation as a close-knit community of academic distinction and humane values.’