Colchester, VT- St. Michael’s College will have a new president starting in January 2024, and he says he has a clear vision to make the school more well-known.

Dr. Richard Plumb will be the school’s 18th president and comes to St. Michael’s with more than three decades of experience in higher education. He started as an assistant professor and was most recently president at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA.

“I’ve heard people describe Saint Mike’s to me as a hidden gem,” Plumb said, “and the problem with a hidden gem is that it’s hidden.”

Plumb hopes that more visibility will bring more students. Like a lot of schools, St. Mike’s enrollment declined during the pandemic but has recently been trending higher.

Dr. Plumb also wants to be more visible himself, saying, “I plan on being very accessible to our students. I want them to be able to come to me and tell me what their experiences are, how we can improve the college, and how we can help them exceed in their educational goals.”

Plumb’s focus isn’t solely on the students, but also on making sure staff feel important.

“Our staff members play an incredibly vital role in the overall education of our students,” said Plumb, “so I want to make sure they have a voice.”

As the college’s next president, Plumb says he won’t always have all the answers but will look to the community for input.