Kenneth P. Ruscio

Kenneth Ruscio, an accomplished higher education administrator in Virginia for more than 25 years and president emeritus of Washington and Lee University, rejoined the Jepson School of Leadership Studies in January 2019 as senior distinguished lecturer.

Immediately prior to returning to the Jepson School, Dr. Ruscio served as president of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges from 2017-2018. He served as president of Washington and Lee University from 2006-2016 and as University of Richmond’s dean of the Jepson School from 2002-2006. He held both faculty and staff positions at Washington and Lee from 1987 to 2002, including professor of politics; associate dean of the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics; and dean of freshmen. From 2016-2017 he served as the Jepson School's leader-in-residence.

Dr. Ruscio has led and served on numerous academic, professional, and civic committees, including as president of the national leadership society Omicron Delta Kappa and as board chairman of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

An expert on democratic theory and public policy and author of “The Leadership Dilemma in Modern Democracy,” Dr. Ruscio teaches courses focused on democracy, its history and principles, political leadership, and how these topics are used to interpret the current state of affairs in American democracy.