Gratitude and Farewell: Thank you, Interim Principal Dickson Eyoh!

Interim Principal Dickson Eyoh (left) with New College Student Council President and recipient of the New Leaders Silver Award Nerissa Feng (right) at the 2024 Scholarship Reception. Photo credit: Horst Herget
On June 21, 2024, the faculty and staff of New College gathered for a Principal’s lunch to celebrate the end of another wonderful academic year and thank Professor Dickson Eyoh for his service as Principal over the last two years.

Professor Eyoh began his role as Acting Principal in July 2022 and was appointed as Interim Principal in 2023. He was not new to the College, having been a long-serving community member as an Associate Professor of Political Science and African Studies and had worked alongside former Principal, Professor Bonnie McElhinny before stepping into the role. Before starting this position, he expressed his excitement for continuing to strengthen the foundations for a resilient New College community and working collaboratively with students, staff and faculty on this mission. In a short time, this has been evident through various initiatives that have contributed to the continued success of our students.
“I’m truly grateful for the last two years,” reflects Professor Eyoh. “During this time, I had the chance to be a part of two momentous achievements: founding programs, African Studies and Caribbean Studies, becoming Centres within the Faculty of Arts and Science; and a historic $5 million visionary gift donated to these programs from alumnus Richard Rooney (NEW’ 77), a long-standing friend of the College. In addition, I witnessed growth and investment in improving student academic success and the expansion of student wellness supports, seeing firsthand the immediate impact these initiatives have had.”
“One thing that will always stand out in my memories is the vibrant NEW community”
~ Professor Dickson Eyoh
Professor Eyoh was always available to assist the community and provide support through his office. New College Vice-Principal Professor Alexandra Guerson shares how Professor Eyoh helped her during her first year as VP, “This past year was my first as Vice-Principal of New College and my transition into the role was eased greatly by Dickson’s friendly and welcoming attitude, which helped enormously as we worked closely together navigating challenges. He was always patient with my many questions, always prompt and available for a quick meeting, and never failed to unravel seemingly complex issues into more essential and manageable parts. Dickson’s sharp sense of perspective and affability eased the stress of dealing with circumstances beyond our control and his support when needed gave me the confidence to take my first steps as VP.”

These are just a few highlights of Professor Eyoh’s contributions to the College. Reflecting on his terms, he remarked, “One thing that will always stand out in my memories is the vibrant NEW community. I’m leaving this position in the good hands of new Principal Robert Gazzale and look forward to seeing the continued success of the College and I promise I won’t be a stranger as NEW will always be my home.”
The New College community, alongside the Faculty of Arts and Science would like to thank Professor Dickson Eyoh for his service and contributions as Principal of New College and wish him well in all his future research and teaching endeavours.