Lawrence Leak ’76

Larry Leak graduated from St. Mary’s College in 1976 with a degree in social science. He went on to earn a masters (1981) and doctoral degree (1988) in educational administration and supervision at the University of Maryland. Both graduate degrees were completed as a full-time student on the College Park campus and the doctorate earned under the competitive award that has been renamed the Flagship Fellowship Program.

Leak started his professional career as a social studies teacher at Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County. He went on to become principal of Manassas Park High School in Virginia before becoming an assistant professor at the University of Maryland in College Park. Leak continued to teach and undertake research projects in tenured faculty positions at Morgan State and Towson Universities. In 1996, Leak went on a seven-year loan from Towson University to the Maryland State Department of Education, serving as the assistant state superintendent for the Division of Certification and Accreditation. Leak became the vice provost for academic affairs at the University of Maryland, University College in 2003 and served as acting provost and chief academic officer (2005-2006) and interim provost and chief academic officer until his retirement in December 2007 after 30 years in the education profession.

Leak resides in Howard County (MD) and regularly volunteers in a variety of other public service capacities within the education sector.