When Mike Sosulski was growing up in West Chicago, he often heard glowing reviews from friends who attended Lake Forest College.
“It just seemed like this wonderful, idyllic kind of place,” Sosulski recalled. “I held that kind of status in my mind as I was growing up.”
This summer, Sosulski got the opportunity to see what Lake Forest College can offer directly as he became the 15th president in school history in August.
“It’s always been one of the finest liberal arts colleges,” he said. “And for my money, the best in the upper Midwest.”
In an interview from his office where a Lake Forest College pennant sits atop a fireplace mantle, Sosulski detailed his career path that eventually led him the Sheridan Road campus and what he sees ahead for the school in a turbulent time overall for higher education.
The son of two College of DuPage faculty members, Sosulski grew up steeped in academia. Family ties to Lake Forest College also run deep — his father-in-law graduated in 1965, and an aunt also attended.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and advanced degrees from the University of Chicago, Sosulski began his career teaching German at Pacific Lutheran University. He later moved to Kalamazoo College, where he taught before shifting into administration.
He said the transition came when Kalamazoo’s provost asked him to oversee a major grant program. The experience allowed him to connect with faculty across disciplines, which he described as “exciting,” “intriguing,” and “intellectually stimulating.”
Sosulski rose through the administrative ranks, serving as Kalamazoo’s associate provost, then as provost at Wofford College in South Carolina. In 2021, he became president of Washington College in Maryland
Now overseeing a campus of about 1,800 students from 43 states and 114 countries, Sosulski said his goal is to build on existing strengths rather than overhaul them.
“There are a lot of things going well here very clearly, and I’m not here as a reformer,” he said. “I’m here as someone who wants to join and enhance all the great things that are already happening.”
Former Lake Forest president David Spadafora, who led the college from 1993 to 2001, characterized that approach as wise.
“If you are new to the institution, your vision has to come from what other people have to say, not by imposing your preconceptions,” Spadafora said.
The biggest challenge Sosulski sees is boosting the school’s $137 million endowment, which he calls modest compared to peer liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, where the median endowment is around $500 million.
“Knowing what kinds of economic forces are buffeting private colleges right now, we need a much stronger foundation than that,” he said.
He expects the school will launch a capital campaign within the year, with much of the fundraising going toward the endowment rather than new construction. At least a quarter of his time will be spent cultivating donors, a share he senses will grow as he settles into the role.
Lake Forest currently operates with a balanced $70 million budget. Annual tuition is about $58,000, and Sosulski said increases are likely but will be kept “as minimal as possible.”
Like many higher education leaders, Sosulski is concerned about mounting financial pressures across the sector. He is well aware that the University of Chicago and Northwestern have recently announced staff cuts, trends that could ripple outward.
He said is troubled by the challenges facing higher education today. He said LFC gets some federal money, but is not as dependent on large federal grants as the larger school. But he said his school could eventually see problems with the cutbacks, as the school’s faculty and students may be working in tandem on research projects with their colleagues at larger schools.
“When opportunities for research and learning shrink nationwide, it affects us either directly or indirectly,” he said.
He also expressed frustration with political opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
“What we’re seeing now is typical historical retrenchment,” he said. “Although disappointing, I’m confident we will persevere in fulfilling our values as an institution.”
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Lake Forest employs more than 500 full- and part-time faculty and staff. Sosulski said one goal is to reduce faculty teaching loads to allow for more research.
He also wants to be a visible presence for students, whether at orientation, student government meetings, or even eating at the campus cafeteria. He said he hopes to teach again one day.
Spadafora agreed that visibility matters with direct interaction sending a message.
“They know you care about what they’re doing,” he said.
Sosulski pointed to several priorities: maintaining a strong athletic program, expanding adult education opportunities, deepening partnerships with local stakeholders, and preparing for the college’s 175th anniversary in 2032.
He is also closely watching the rise of artificial intelligence in education. Lake Forest recently received a grant to fund AI-related research and speakers.
“We know it is happening, but we don’t know where it will take us,” he said. “I’m encouraged by the positive attitude I’m seeing on campus about how we deal with it.”
Just weeks into his new role, Sosulski said he has been struck by the quality of people at every level of the college.
“I’m seeing top-flight staff members, faculty, board members, and terrific students who really know how to take agency,” he said. “This is a campus that naturally attracts leaders.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.