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LeRoy Greason was born in Newport, Rhode Island on September 13, 1922. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1945, received a Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and in 1990 an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ. Greason was professor of English at º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ from 1952 until 1981, dean of students from 1963-1966, and dean of the College from 1966 to 1975.

In 1981 he was inaugurated as the twelfth president of º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ, a position he held until 1990. During his presidency he instituted new distribution requirements and placed an emphasis on a writing program for first-year students. Greason also expanded the arts curriculum and tackled many environmental concerns. He encouraged diversification at º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ by actively attracting students and faculty of racial and ethnic minorities. In addition, Greason developed the computer science, Asian studies, and women's studies departments and initiated the construction of both Farley Field House and Hatch Science Library.

LeRoy Greason died in Brunswick on August 28, 2011. He is survived by his three children, Randall, Katherine, and Douglas, and four grandchildren. His wife, Pauline "Polly" Schaaf Greason, predeceased him in 2007.

Painting credit: º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ Museum of Art, Brunswick, Maine Commissioned by the President and Trustees of º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿ÊÒ; Transferred to Museum Collection, 1986