Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway is joining the philanthropic sector — and will serve as the seventh CEO and president of the Henry Luce Foundation beginning this fall.
Holloway, who will complete his tenure as Rutgers president on June 30, will start at the Luce Foundation Oct. 1.
Established by Time Inc. cofounder and editor Henry Luce in 1936, the independent, nonprofit foundation has issued more than $1 billion in grants and offers leadership programs in the fields of Asia, higher education, religion, theology, art and public policy.
The Luce Foundation currently pursues its mission with grant programs in American art, Asia, democracy, ethics and public trust, indigenous knowledge, Luce scholars, religion and theology, and women in STEM.
Holloway said the foundation’s overall mission to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world aligns with his commitment to civic engagement, civil discourse and supporting the common good throughout his five-year Rutgers presidency.
“I am honored to join the Henry Luce Foundation after I complete my tenure at Rutgers and to build upon its decades of remarkable work to foster discussion across differences, improve public discourse, and nurture ideas that will strengthen communities,” Holloway said. “At this challenging time in our nation, the Luce Foundation’s efforts are more imperative than ever. I am eager to work with the Foundation’s committed staff and Board toward a healthy democratic culture and an equitable society.”
Foundation co-chairs Debra Knopman and Terry Adamson applauded the announcement.
“Dr. Holloway is an eminent historian, a respected scholar of the humanities, a public intellectual and an influential leader in higher education,” they said in a joint statement. “His thoughtful approach to collaboration and a firm commitment to the foundation’s long-term view of impact from its grantmaking, position him well to lead the foundation into the future.”
Holloway told the university’s governing boards that he had planned to take the 12 months of his sabbatical and spend that time getting reacquainted with his scholarship before returning to Rutgers in July 2026. But when the Luce Foundation approached him about the position, he said he recognized “a special opportunity to develop new skills and content knowledge in the arts, religion, technology and culture, while continuing my commitment to support civic engagement in the public sphere.”
When he begins his position at Luce on Oct. 1, Holloway will relinquish the remaining months of a one-year sabbatical and leave his dual position as distinguished professor and university professor.
Holloway has established Rutgers as a leader in supporting and strengthening democracy by creating a culture of public service and fostering engaged citizens. Through Rutgers Scarlet Service, which he launched three years ago, hundreds of students participate in life-shaping paid internships at nonprofits and government organizations in the state, region and Washington, D.C. During a heightened time of political polarization and declining faith in the nation’s institutions and the value of civil discourse, Holloway taught a first-year seminar on “Citizenship, Institutions, and the Public,” inviting distinguished leaders from the corporate, political, nonprofit, media and faith communities for discussions with students.
In addition, under Holloway’s leadership, the university launched the Rutgers Democracy Lab at the Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics in November 2024 to draw on university students, faculty and researchers to connect with community members, civic groups, practitioners and others to help tackle challenges facing American democracy and society.
Rutgers Board of Governors Chair Amy Towers, a globally known philanthropist herself, wished Holloway well while looking to the future.
“We appreciate Dr. Holloway’s service to Rutgers and wish him well as he prepares for this next chapter to further advance the common good around the world,” she said.
