A 1975 graduate of Washington College, Bryan Matthews knows nearly every corner of his alma mater. Over more than 25 years he has served in athletics, admissions, student affairs, and now in the president’s office, he is guiding the institution through some challenging times.

When Matthews stepped into the interim presidency in mid-August, Washington College was in what he calls “a financially challenging situation, to put it mildly.” Since then, he and his cabinet have carried forward former President Sosulski’s  steps to bring the budget back into balance. “Positions were cut, expenses reduced, and a zero-based budgeting process was installed,” he said. “We’re now in a manageable position. It doesn’t mean everything’s great—but it’s stable.”

Enrollment trends have also turned slightly upward. The incoming freshman class exceeded budget projections and improved net tuition revenue, providing what Matthews described as “a modest but meaningful boost.” The college still faces a small shortfall this year, but the focus now, he said, is on increasing revenue through enrollment growth and retention. “That’s where my history as a coach and recruiter serves me well,” he said. “I like it, I understand it, and I see it as our best opportunity for sustainable growth.”

Matthews is quick to emphasize that faculty programs were protected during the cuts. “No faculty were let go, and no academic programs were dropped,” he said. Most of the expense reductions came from staff attrition and voluntary retirements. “This is the first semester that people are flying the airplane with a smaller crew,” he added. “There’s strain, but there’s also remarkable determination.”

Returning to the College after a decade away, Matthews has been struck by how teaching and learning have evolved. “Ten years ago, classroom technology was clunky. Now it’s seamless—it drives the conversation instead of interrupting it,” he said. “Our faculty have really embraced experiential learning, no matter the discipline.” He shared the story of a junior chemistry major who spent last summer doing graduate-level research at Montana State University. “That’s the level of preparation happening here,” he said proudly.

Matthews’s listening tour during his first eight weeks brought him face-to-face with every academic and staff department. What he found, he said, was a community that had weathered hard years but remained resilient. “Crisis brings people together. We may not agree on everything, but we’re aligned—we want to succeed and thrive.”

He sees that same interdependence extending beyond the campus. “What would Washington College be without a successful Chestertown, and what is Chestertown without a thriving college?” he asked.

His sense of rootedness is personal for him. After earning his B.A. in political science and M.A. in psychology from Washington College, Matthews served as captain of the lacrosse team before taking his first campus job as lacrosse coach and assistant director of admissions. He went on to coach and teach at the U.S. Naval Academy for 12 years before returning to Washington Collge to hold multiple leadership roles—director of athletics, assistant to the president for special projects, associate vice president of administrative services, and interim vice president and dean of students. During that time, he completed his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership & Innovation from Wilmington University.

Off campus, Matthews’s commitment to Kent County has been just as steady. He has served as vice president of KRM Development Corporation, director of community and government relations for the Dixon Group, president of the Kent County Chamber of Commerce, and a board member for both the Mid-Shore Community Foundation and Kent County Character Counts.

Looking ahead, Matthews is energized by new initiatives such as the Warehime School of Business, made possible by a $15 million gift from alumna Beth Wareheim. The new building will stand at the campus entrance, symbolizing renewal. “It’s transformational,” he said. “Not just for business majors, but for students across disciplines.”

Still, he is pragmatic. “Washington College is a mission-oriented business, not a passion project,” he said. “We need to pay our bills, pay our people, and support our academic mission. Right now, the ship is stable—and that’s a good place to start.”

This video is approximately sixteen minutes in length.

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When John Lewis arrived at The Gunston School sixteen years ago, he wasn’t yet the seasoned Head of School he is today; he was a young educator drawn to what he calls “the ecosystem of school,” a living, breathing network of teachers, students, and ideas that thrive when curiosity and purpose align.

Lewis grew up in Montgomery County and attended a large public high school before heading to Georgetown University, where baseball first brought him to campus. But academics quickly took hold. “I became more of an academic than an athlete,” he says. His work as a resident assistant awakened a deeper interest in education, which led to his first teaching post at Culver Academies in Indiana.

From there, Lewis’s path wound through international schools in Quito, Ecuador, and Singapore, experiences that deepened his understanding of cultural and educational diversity. He went on to earn master’s degrees from both Harvard and Columbia before returning to the U.S. to take on leadership roles in New Jersey schools. When a headhunter called about “a little school in Maryland looking for a young leader,” he followed his instincts east and never looked back.

Sixteen years later, Gunston’s wooded waterfront campus just outside Centreville reflects Lewis’s philosophy of education as both intellectual rigor and ethical grounding. “We’re a community of choice,” he explains. “Families come because they believe in our values—academic excellence, personal attention, and environmental stewardship.”

While he trained as an English teacher, Lewis now teaches AP Government, a course he calls perfectly suited to today’s ever-changing political landscape. “There’s never a day without a major headline to discuss,” he says. The class keeps him close to students and grounded in the daily pulse of learning.

Lewis emphasizes that Gunston’s strength lies in its intimacy: a culture where no student can truly get lost, where teachers and students share respect for each other. “High school kids are a lot of fun,” he says. “Watching ninth graders arrive uncertain and leave as confident young adults; that’s the best part of this job.”

As both educator and parent—his own daughter is now a Gunston student—Lewis experiences the school from both sides. “It’s wonderful to see her challenged and supported by the same teachers I work with,” he says.

Throughout his role as Head of School, Lewis holds close to his guiding mantra: “The question ‘Where do I want to go?’ really begins with ‘Who am I?’ When students understand themselves, they make better choices—for college and for life.”

For those who have never visited the 75-acre campus along the Corsica River, Lewis encourages them to stop by.

This video is approximately nine minutes in length. For more about The Gunston School, please go here.