Updated book details Elon University's rise to prominence

Johns Hopkins University Press has re-issued its classic book, "Transforming a College," with new contributions by President Leo M. Lambert.

The updated edition of "Transforming a College: The Story of a Little-Known College's Strategic Climb to National Distinction," was published by Johns Hopkins Universitiy Press in March 2014.
In connection with Elon University’s 125 anniversary celebration, Johns Hopkins University Press has released an updated edition of Transforming a College: The Story of a Little-Known College’s Strategic Climb to National Distinction by George Keller. The new edition includes a foreword and afterword by Elon President Leo M. Lambert.

The late George Keller was an eminent scholar in the field of higher education planning, chair of the graduate program in higher education studies at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Academic Strategy: The Management Revolution in American Higher Education. He was impressed by the progress at Elon and analyzed the university’s strategies, producing a compelling case study that has been studied as an example of institutional transformation by college faculty members, administrators and trustees around the world. The book, which was first published in 2004, is in its sixth printing and has been translated into Japanese, Korean and Chinese.

For the new edition, Johns Hopkins University Press asked President Lambert to contribute a foreword and afterword, detailing the university’s continuing progress in positioning Elon as a top-ranked liberal arts university and a national leader in engaged teaching and learning.

“George Keller’s incisive analysis of Elon’s strategies and the university’s transformation has proven to be a valuable resource for trustees, faculty and administrators,” Lambert said. “I am pleased to contribute to this updated edition and help readers understand what has happened at Elon in the past decade, including our accomplishments, the challenges we have grappled with, and our plans for the future.”

Transforming a College: The Story of a Little-Known College’s Strategic Climb to National Distinction is available in paperback and electronic book format from Johns Hopkins University Press. (http://www.press.jhu.edu/)

What others are saying about this book:

“The book is not intended to be a recipe for success. Rather, Keller hoped that others would draw inspiration from Elon’s ascent. His words written in 2004 are just as true today, if not more so. ‘America has never needed as many highly educated, creative, spirited persons as it does today.'” —University Advancement

“Keller has brought his estimable experience as a consultant, strategic planner, and scholar to the task of presenting an engaging case study of institutional transformation… The resulting account is appealing and engaging, challenging the mindset of readers who are cynical about the possibilities for change in higher education and further inspiring those readers who remain hopeful that, at least in some situations, wholesale transformation is achievable.”—Review of Higher Education