When Perkins came, Delaware was to some extent an overgrown college. When he left it was a University.
--Prof. John A. Munroe

John Alanson Perkins received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan, where he later became a Professor of Political Science and Associate Provost. From 1946 to 1948, he served the State of Michigan, first as Budget Director and later as Controller. In 1950, Perkins was elected President of the University of Delaware, making him, at age 36, one of the University’s youngest Presidents.

Perkins’s tenure as President (1950-1967) marked one of the greatest periods of growth in the history of the University of Delaware. During his presidency, the undergraduate population tripled to 6,000 students, the graduate student body almost doubled to 1,800, the size of the faculty more than doubled, and new courses, departments and colleges were added. He also established several graduate programs with ties to nearby cultural institutions: the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture, the Longwood Program in Ornamental Horticulture, and the Hagley Program in Industrial History.

Between 1950 and 1967, more than 20 new facilities were constructed, including Delaware Field House, Morris Library, and the Student Center, which now bears his name. President Perkins’ legacy to the University of Delaware also includes formation of Library Associates, Phi Beta Kappa, Mortar Board, Sigma Xi, and a significant increase in the value of the University’s endowment.

More about President John A. Perkins:

"Presidential Profiles" an article from The Messenger

John A. Perkins by Elizabeth Shoumatoff

The University of Delaware: A History by Dr John A. Munroe