Exeter College is nearly 500 years older than Williams. But you have never made us feel like the junior partner.
In fact, as rector of Oxford’s fourth oldest college, you have embraced our relationship and valued our collaboration. You have worked diligently to ensure that the Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford benefits students and faculty members at both institutions.
Of course, you knew Williams well long before you ever sat in the rector’s chair, in part thanks to your longstanding friendship with the late Williams historian and interim president Bill Wagner, whom you first met when you were both graduate students at Oxford.
Since then, you have forged a distinguished scholarly career, served for decades at the University of Glasgow and, before coming to Exeter, led both the University of Greenwich and King’s College London. You have presided over Universities UK, the voice of more than 140 universities, and Queen Elizabeth II knighted you for service to higher education.
We will miss you after you step down in a few months, following a highly accomplished 10 years as rector. But to us, you will always remain “Sir Rick Trainor,” our honorary Eph at Exeter.
I hereby declare you recipient of the honorary degree Doctor of Laws, entitled to all the rights, honors, and privileges appertaining thereto.
June 2, 2024