wfn.org | David Gring Announces Retirement from ELCA Roanoke College

[NEWS@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 2, 2003

David Gring Announces Retirement from ELCA Roanoke College
03-178-JB*

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. David M. Gring, president of Roanoke
College, Salem, Va., announced his plans to retire at the end of
this academic year. Gring, who has served as president since July
1989, made the announcement Sept. 4 to faculty and staff.
Roanoke College is one of 28 colleges and universities of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
      Gring, 58, is the ninth president of Roanoke College, an
institution that is more than 160 years old. He said he is
leaving the post to spend more time with his family.
     Prior to meeting with faculty and staff, Gring announced his
plans to the college's board of trustees, the board's executive
committee and the college vice presidents.
     John Turbyfill, board chair, Norfolk, Va., praised Gring's
"energy, dedication and spirit" during his tenure at Roanoke
College. "The college is in the strongest position in its
history, and we are grateful to Dr. Gring for his role in that
standing," Turbyfill said.
     Turbyfill announced he will appoint a presidential search
committee soon and said he expects the committee to include
trustee, faculty, alumni and student representatives. He led the
search that brought Gring to Roanoke College.
     According to a Roanoke College news release, during Gring's
tenure college enrollment reached a record this fall with more
than 1,900 students and the college is in the process of creating
a new strategic plan.  Last fall it completed a six-year fund-
raising campaign that raised more than $83 million, exceeding its
goal by $18 million. The campaign brought commitments to more
than double the college's endowed scholarships, to provide for a
new campus center and fitness center, and to fund additional
faculty positions, the release said.
     The college has been cited among the nation's best liberal
arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report, and has been
recognized in other college guides.
     The Phi Beta Kappa Society voted to establish a chapter at
Roanoke College, and the college's chemistry program is
nationally recognized, the news release said.
      Gring earned a bachelor's degree from Franklin and Marshall
College, Lancaster, Pa., in 1967.  He earned a master's degree in
1970 and a doctorate in 1971 with a concentration in zoology-
genetics from Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.
     Gring was assistant professor of biology at Lebanon Valley
College, Annville, Pa. While there he was named an Education
Fellow in Academic Administration by the American Council on
Education.
     Gring later served at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.,
where he was assistant dean and then associate dean. He was vice
president for academic affairs and dean from 1979 to 1989.
Concordia is an ELCA college.
     Among his honors, Gring was a Bush Summer Leadership Fellow
and received the J.L.K. Preus Leadership Award presented by the
former American Lutheran Church. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa
and Sigma Xi. Gring was the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow
2003 Award by The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
He has served in leadership roles in a number of community
organizations.
     Gring and his wife, Susan, plan to remain in the Roanoke
Valley.  They have two grown children, Lisa Gring-Pemble, who
resides in Reston, Va., and Christian, of Cleveland, Ohio.  They
have three grandchildren.
-- -- --
*Information was provided by the Public Relations Office at
Roanoke College.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news