St. John’s College president leaving in ’22
St. John’s College Annapolis campus President Panayiotis Kanelos will not seek to renew his contract, which is set to expire in June of 2022.
The announcement came at a February meeting of the college’s Board of Visitors and Governors, and a report written by Kanelos and Santa Fe President Mark Roosevelt afterward said the outgoing leader had accomplished his goals of strengthening enrollment and maintaining fiscal discipline. Kanelos came to the Annapolis campus in July of 2017.
The Board of Visitors and Governors are planning a search for a new president, according to a statement on the college’s website, who would take over in 2023 and lead both the Santa Fe and Annapolis campuses.
The Caritas Society of St. John’s College, Inc. will donate $2,000 from its operating fund into the Caritas endowment in honor of Kanelos’ service to the college and Caritas, the group’s president Alice Chambers said.
Caritas helps students cover living expenses, buy books, handle emergencies and more — whatever is needed to help them finish their college career. After 50 years as an independent organization benefitting students in need, the organization plans on merging with the school after a decline in membership and the challenges posed by the corona
virus pandemic.
Chambers said the group’s board has approved the merger. The college’s Board of Visitors and Governors will consider it later this month, a spokesperson for the school said.
Caritas has raised $100,000 over the years for students, according to Chambers. The organization has always given the money to St. John’s College, which identifies and distributes it to students.
If the merger is approved, the mission of Caritas will continue on, and so can financial support from the community. Donors can give to St. John’s directly and specify that they want the money to go to the Caritas current use fund or the Caritas endowment fund.
The Caritas board will continue to exist in an advisory capacity.
Chambers said a number of older members have died over the past two years, and they have not been able to hold events to recruit new members, leading to the decision to merge with the college.
If the merger is approved by the Board of Visitors and Governors of St. John’s College, the society would hand over its bank accounts to the college for future management.
“We’re not going away, we’re just realigning,” Chambers said.