LEWISTON — A top executive at Bates College is leaving soon to become the executive dean of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Joshua McIntosh, vice president for campus life at Bates College Submitted photo

The college announced Tuesday that Joshua McIntosh, vice president for campus life, will step down Feb. 1.

He will serve as chief administrative officer of the Harvard Kennedy School, a prestigious graduate school.

McIntosh, who played a key role in steering Bates through the COVID-19 pandemic, came to Lewiston just shy of a decade ago after working as the dean of academic services at Johns Hopkins University. He had been an associate dean at Harvard College before that.

“I admired Bates when I arrived,” McIntosh said in a prepared release. “As I depart, admiration is mixed with great affection for Bates and Bates people. I have worked with amazing colleagues over the last decade — talented, caring, and resilient.”

Garry Jenkins, president of the college, said in a prepared statement that “Josh’s contributions to Bates and its students have been immense. He has led transformative systemic and structural change in Bates’ outstanding student affairs program.”

Advertisement

“He will be sorely missed by colleagues, friends, and students at Bates who have so benefitted from his wise counsel, passionate advocacy, and deep humanity,” Jenkins said.

“I am fortunate, and I will miss Bates,” McIntosh said.

He earned his bachelor’s degree at Elon University and a doctorate from Syracuse University.

Bates will announce in the coming weeks its plans for interim leadership and its search for its next vice president of campus life.

Bates said on its website that the campus life vice president “oversees all aspects of student affairs, including accessible education, athletics and recreation, counseling and psychological services, health education and wellness programs, health services, international student programs, off-campus study and study abroad, Purposeful Work, residential life and housing, campus safety, student conduct and student activities.”

Comments are no longer available on this story