CLINTON, N.Y. — Hamilton College announced it has appointed Steven Tepper as the 21st president of the college, effective July 1.

Tepper currently serves as dean and director of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University (ASU).

Hamilton College’s Board of Trustees unanimously elected Tepper in January following a nationwide search including input from faculty, students, and alumni. He succeeds David Wippman, who retires at the end of June following eight years as Hamilton College president.

Tepper is a national leader in cultural policy and is widely recognized for leading the largest comprehensive design and arts college in America, a Hamilton College news release stated. He was a key architect of two national policy centers focused on creativity and cultural policy at Princeton University and Vanderbilt University and launched the Sidney Poitier New American Film School at ASU.

“I am honored and excited to join the Hamilton College community,” Tepper said. “Hamilton’s rich history, emphasis on communication, open curriculum, and dedication to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and creative campus are values that resonate with me deeply. I look forward to working with the talented students, faculty, alumni, trustees, and staff on the next phase of Hamilton’s evolution, one that elevates Hamilton as the most creative and connected liberal arts campus in the world.”

His appointment to the role of president at Hamilton follows an extensive nationwide search by a committee co-chaired by Hamilton trustees Linda Johnson and Bob Delaney.

“Steve Tepper emerged as the unanimous top finalist from a strong and diverse pool of well-qualified candidates,” Johnson said in the release.

Delaney praised his commitment to the idea and promise of a liberal-arts education and his vision to graduate students who are connected to and prepared to thrive in an ever-transforming world. “His vast scholarly record and the breadth of his leadership experience made him the perfect match for Hamilton,” he said.

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at ASU is the nation’s largest design and arts college with 8,400 students, more than 300 full-time faculty members, and over 120 degrees and programs.

Tepper holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a doctorate degree in sociology from Princeton University.

With a 1,350-acre campus overlooking Clinton, Hamilton College educates more than 2,000 students from 47 states and 54 countries.