Former President of Allegheny College Hilary Link was officially announced as the 15th president of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey on Wednesday, Feb. 8, returning to higher education after leaving Allegheny on Sept. 20, 2022.

Link will not officially start her new role until July 1, as  Drew’s current president, Thomas Schwartz, finishes his contract in June, according to a press release by Drew University.

The release states that Link “successfully guided Allegheny through the COVID-19 pandemic while managing demographic, enrollment, and financial challenges facing institutions of higher education across the country.”

Link’s appointment came at the end of a nine-month search by the presidential search committee led by Vice Chair of the Drew University Board of Trustees Fredrick Fuest.

“We sought a bold visionary who is innovative, entrepreneurial, inspiring, and financially astute, and I am proud to say we found all that in Dr. Link,” Fuest said in the press release.

Chair of the Drew University Board of Trustees William Landis also spoke highly of Link’s professionalism and experience in the press release.

“Hilary’s experience and track record make her a natural fit for Drew,” Landis said.

To gauge a clearer understanding of Link’s performance and professionalism in a leadership role in higher education, The Campus attempted to contact members of the Board of Trustees, faculty members, staff members, ASG leaders and students that worked with her or knew her in a professional capacity during her tenure at Allegheny.

The Campus reached out to former Chair of the Allegheny Board of Trustees Mark Campbell, ’82, Vice President for Enrollment Management Ellen Johnson, Allegheny Student Government President Veronica Green, ’23, and six other faculty members, administrators and staff members. All of those contacted declined to comment.