Borden W. Painter, Jr.

Borden W. Painter, Jr. Photo credit: Trinity College

Borden Winslow Painter, Jr. was president of Trinity College from 2003 to 2004 and served as acting president from 1994 to 1995.

Painter was born in Manhasset, New York in 1937. He studied history at Trinity College (Hartford, CT), where he received a B.A., with honors, in 1958. While at Trinity, Painter participated in football and swimming and was active in the Chapel. Painter continued his studies in history at Yale University, earning both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in 1959 and 1965, respectively. In 1963, he received a Master of Divinity degree from General Theological Seminary in New York, and was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of New York in December of that year. Areas of major academic interest for Painter were Tudor and Stuart England, Renaissance and Reformation Europe, Modern Italy, and American Church History.

Borden Painter’s 40-year career at Trinity College began in 1964 with a part-time teaching position in the Department of History. In 1966, with encouragement from a former colleague, he began working full-time as an assistant professor. From 1967 until 1969, Painter served on the Curriculum Revision Committee which recommended a fairly widespread overhaul of the College’s previous course requirements and offerings. In 1970, he became associate professor, also serving as the coordinator of the newly implemented Freshman Seminar Program during the 1970-1971 academic year. In the summer of 1971, he served as faculty for the College’s Rome program and then as program director in 1974. Additionally, Painter served as chair of the History Department from 1974 until 1979. He was made full professor in 1978, along with serving as coordinator of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program (a position he would hold until 1998).

In the 1980s, Painter continued his teaching responsibilities but in 1981, added to them the role of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cesare Barbieri Endowment for Italian Culture. In addition, he served as Acting Dean of Faculty from 1984 to 1985 and Dean of Faculty from 1985 until 1987. In 1989, he was named Director of Italian Programs (Rome Program, Rome Summer Program, Elderhostel in Italy). From 1991 to 1992, he served as a member of the Steering Committee for the Strategic Plan, an initiative by the administration of President Tom Gerety.

In 1994, the Board of Trustees asked Borden Painter to fulfill the role of interim President of Trinity College after President Gerety’s sudden announcement that he was leaving to take the presidency at Amherst College. Painter promptly assumed office and “provided steady and effective leadership during the remainder of the spring semester and for the ensuing academic year.” ¹⁾ Painter's presidency helped Trinity to achieve many improvements both on campus and within the wider community, such as an engineering program certification; financial gains; physical plant improvements; the establishment of the Center for Neighborhoods; and the establishment of dorm councils.

During his later years at Trinity, Painter served as a both a member (1998-2003) and Chair (2002-2003) of the Admissions Committee. He was a member of the Graduate Advisory Committee from 1998 until 2004, serving as an advisor to graduate students in the History Department. Borden Painter again was asked to take on the role of Acting President of Trinity College, which he did during the 2003-2004 academic year. Upon retirement in 2004, Painter was named 20th President of Trinity College.