Peter Likins’ 1982-1997 tenure as Lehigh’s 10th president continued what he called the “transformation” of Lehigh that began under his predecessor, Deming Lewis.

Under Likins’ leadership, Lehigh opened the E.W. Fairchild-Martindale Library and Computing Center (1985), purchased the Mountaintop Campus (1986), replaced Taylor Stadium with Goodman Stadium (1988), and built the Rauch Business Center (1990) and Zoellner Arts Center (1997). The university also became home to the North East Tier Ben Franklin Advanced Technology Center, which matches Lehigh professors with entrepreneurs starting new businesses.

Likins, a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Engineering, helped establish the Philip and Muriel Berman Center for Jewish Studies and led the way in founding the Patriot League. He oversaw great growth in Lehigh’s financial-aid program and the establishment of the Iacocca Institute, the President’s Scholars program and the STAR program, in which Lehigh students tutor local schoolchildren.