LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — The president of Bates College will step down next year after 11 years at the liberal arts institution.

Clayton Spencer made her announcement in a letter to the community on Wednesday. She will depart next June.

“I have felt so lucky to be part of this community, and I am proud of all that we have accomplished together,” she wrote.

John Gillespie, chair of the Bates College Board of Trustees, called Spencer a “transformative leader.”

During her time at Bates, the student population has grown more diverse and the college endowment has more than doubled. Two dormitories and a new science building were constructed.

Newsletter