William W. Destler has been named RIT’s ninth president. The RIT Board of Trustees made the choice at a special March session, selecting the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost of the University of Maryland at College Park from among two finalists

William Destler has spent his entire professional career–more than 30 years–at the University of Maryland, rising from the ranks of research associate and assistant professor of electrical engineering to senior vice president and provost, a position he has held since 2001. He has also

William Destler comes from a family of “humanists”–including his wife, Rebecca Johnson, who holds a Ph.D. in psychology, and his father, who was a historian, along with other family members who pursued math and the humanities. His professional interest leads the self-described black sheep to

The selection of William Destler will propel the university as it moves forward in the 21st century, says RIT President Albert Simone. “I welcome Dr. Destler and his family to the RIT family,” says Simone. “This is an exciting time for RIT, as we are

Kelly Redder, executive director, Alumni Relations. I believe that William Destler has a great understanding of the important role alumni play in RIT’s future. Engaging our graduates will be critical to branding the university, growing the endowment and RIT’s expansion on a global level. Eugene

Carleton Gibson (1910-1916) Carleton Gibson was chosen as the first president of the Mechanics Institute in 1910. He placed emphasis on industrial education and did not propose any immediate or drastic changes to the institute upon his arrival. By 1912, however, he had managed