The Inauguration of
J. Walter Sterling
On February 27, 2026, St. John鈥檚 College Santa Fe will install its new president, J. Walter Sterling (A93). President Sterling becomes the 8th Santa Fe president in the campus鈥� 60-year history, and is the first undergraduate alum and first former dean and faculty member to serve as campus president. Together, the St. John鈥檚 College community and honored guests will observe the historic occasion with a day of activities and celebration on-campus. The ceremony will be live-streamed.
J. Walter Sterling’s Bio
J. Walter Sterling (A93) was appointed by the Board of Visitors and Governors as the eighth president of St. John鈥檚 College Santa Fe in January 2024, beginning his tenure in July 2024. At St. John鈥檚, Sterling has been a member of the teaching faculty since 2003 and recently concluded his second term as dean. He holds a BA from St. John鈥檚, Annapolis, an MA in philosophy from Emory University, and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He has taught at Loyola University Maryland, Temple University, and Gwynedd-Mercy University. Sterling is a member of the board and visiting teaching faculty of the Rome Institute of Liberal Arts and serves on the Academic Advisory Council of the Jack Miller Center. He has also worked outside academia supporting mission-driven nonprofits such as Project HOME in Philadelphia.