Douglas Hicks, President, Davidson College
In an interview with Invest:, President Douglas Hicks of Davidson College highlighted the institution’s record-breaking admissions, its commitment to liberal arts education, and strategic engagement in the Charlotte region, underscoring the college’s mission and future growth.
What were some of the significant milestones and achievements for the college over the last academic year?
We set a record for the number of admission applications, broadening our visibility like never before. Our selectivity also reached an all-time high, with the lowest percentage of admitted students in our history. Last year was our top fundraising year ever, with over $130 million in commitments, including two lead gifts for our new library, which is now in the design phase. We’re excited about that. We’ve also continued our core educational work, bringing in an exceptional class. It’s hard to quantify the impact of what happens in the classroom between our world-class faculty and dynamic students, but that’s our bread and butter. We believe we’re doing it as well as ever, and we have a lot of enthusiasm and momentum for the future.
How do you think the college’s mission and history continue to shape its approach to liberal arts and leadership development?
Davidson has a nearly 200-year tradition, and a broad liberal arts curriculum has never been more important. Our students learn to work in diverse groups, exercise critical thinking, and develop creativity, along with speaking and writing well. These fundamentals are essential in any field, and we know our graduates will work across many industries. Technical knowledge can become obsolete in a few years, but critical thinking, writing, communication, and collaboration are skills that last a lifetime. Our mission statement focuses on preparing students for lives of leadership and service, not just in their careers but also in their families and communities. The breadth and depth of a liberal arts education prepares students for the 21st century just as effectively as it did for the 19th and 20th.
How does the college leverage its location in the Charlotte metro area?
We recently approved a new strategic plan, and one of our central priorities calls for greater engagement in the Charlotte region. We’re in one of the most dynamic communities in the country, if not the world, and as a liberal arts college, we aim to seize opportunities across sectors. This especially benefits our students and recent alumni, helping them connect with employment opportunities where they can apply their liberal arts education.
We’ve enhanced our internship programs, and many students spend their summers in Charlotte through initiatives like our Summer Community Leadership Institute and the Sustainability Fellows Program, or through internships and research opportunities. Civic engagement and connections with the business and finance community are strong here. About 8% of our students are from the greater Charlotte region, while around 20% find their first job or postgrad experience here. That means many students who weren’t from this area chose to stay, contributing to the economy and society in Charlotte, which is incredibly meaningful to us.
The college has released a report on Davidson’s economic impact on the Charlotte region. How do the results align with the college’s mission?
Davidson’s primary mission is educational, but we are also a significant economic force in this region. We employ 1,000 people and attract 140,000 visitors to our campus each year. These visitors contribute to the local economy by staying, spending money, networking, and hiring our students here. These activities are crucial to our economic role.
Our study, conducted with Econsult Solutions from Philadelphia using standard methodologies, revealed that our annual economic impact on the greater Charlotte region exceeds $400 million. Across North Carolina, our impact approaches half a billion dollars annually. To be honest, that figure was larger than we expected. The consultants pointed out that if we were a business with 3,000 people, including our 1,000 employees and 2,000 students, our economic impact would actually be less than it is as an educational institution. This is because our work is very public — it’s not about making products; it’s about shaping people. We bring many visitors to campus who come to observe that process, explore whether they want to be part of it, and contribute to it. The fact that we have a larger economic impact than a similarly sized private business is a surprising and proud reality for us.
Additionally, our community contributes 73,000 service hours every year. We’ve calculated the value of these hours in terms of the dollars contributed to nonprofits through in-kind labor, and it amounts to a few million dollars. However, it’s important to remember that these service hours are about mutual learning. While we provide valuable support to nonprofits and civic organizations, we are also educating our students and benefiting from the experience.
How do you see the college’s role evolving in the broader Charlotte region in the near future?
Davidson College’s future is inextricably linked with that of the Charlotte region. There’s incredible promise here. I’m honored to be the first Davidson president to join the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council. We’re committed to supporting public education, transportation, healthcare, and other fields, while continuing to send our students into sectors like banking and finance.
Davidson is the top-ranked college in the South. A few decades ago, it might have been seen as a rural school, somewhat removed from the city, but the Lake Norman area now has over 110,000 people, and with improvements to I-77, including express lanes, Charlotte and Davidson have grown closer together. Not only have we moved towards Charlotte, but Charlotte has also come to us. We want to be an integral part of this growth, and we hope business leaders and citizens of Charlotte see us as such.
I’m driven by a deep sense of gratitude and joy to be doing this work at my alma mater. I’m particularly enthusiastic about our planned Institute for Public Good, which will consolidate our efforts to prepare students to contribute positively to a polarized society and world. I’m excited about further engaging with Charlotte and weaving our liberal arts foundation into students’ lives and careers. For me, it’s about applying Davidson’s values to create an exciting future, and it’s incredible that the global economy and the dynamism of Charlotte have come right to our doorstep, with a world-class airport and everything else the city has to offer. I’m thrilled about these continued connections, which will help us raise our national and international profile.
One of our greatest strengths is our extremely loyal and committed alumni base. Of our 25,000 alumni, about three-quarters are regularly engaged with the college, and two-thirds stay connected every single year. This strong network, particularly in Charlotte but also beyond, is a key element of our future success, grounded in the quality work we’ve done in the past.
