Dr. Dale T. Knobel
Dr. Dale T. Knobel was a professor in Texas A&M’s Department of History from 1977 to 1996, teaching courses in American social and intellectual history and in the history of American ethnic and racial diversity. He is the author of three books and many scholarly articles on immigration and interethnic and interracial relations.After chairing the faculty committee overseeing the University Honors Program, Dr. Knobel was asked to become Director in 1987. In 1992, after the UHP had grown to take responsibility for a wide variety of services for highly motivated and academically successful undergraduate students, Knobel was named Executive Director of Honors Programs and Academic Scholarships. During 1995-96, Dr. Knobel served as Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs and Academic Services. Between 1987 and 1996, the University Honors Program grew to over 2500 participating students and 300 annual course sections in all of the University’s academic colleges. It was Knobel’s idea to establish residence halls connected with the University Honors Program, and he helped plan both Lechner and McFadden Halls. In recognition of his leadership, Dr. Knobel received the Texas A&M Association of Former Students’ Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award in 1994.
Dr. and Mrs. Knobel retain strong connections with Texas A&M. Their daughter and son-in-law both graduated from the University and they are donors of a President’s Endowed Scholarship that honors their late son.
Personal Life & Professional Career
Knobel received his B.A. from Yale University and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University, he is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1996, Dr. Knobel was invited to come to Georgetown, Texas to become the Provost and Dean of the Faculty of Southwestern University, a private liberal arts and sciences college that is Texas’ oldest institution of higher education. After two years at Southwestern, Knobel was asked to return to his home state of Ohio to become President of nearly 200-year-old Denison University, a highly selective undergraduate college of 2400 students who come from every state and 40 nations. He served as Denison’s President for the next fifteen years and was recognized nationally for his commitment to academic excellence and attracting a diverse and high-achieving student body. In 2012, the national Council for the Advancement and Support of Education named him to receive its annual Chief Executive Leadership Award.After retiring in 2013, Dr. Knobel returned to Texas and resides in Georgetown. He has remained active in higher education and serves on the Boards of Trustees of Southwestern University and the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. He is a trustee or senior fellow of three major national foundations that support a variety of philanthropic causes, including higher education.