Philip O. Geier

Phil Geier is a leader in international education and currently serves as Executive Director of the Davis United World College Scholars Program, the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program for undergraduates. He developed and runs the Projects for Peace initiative begun in 2007. He is also an independent consultant specializing in strategic innovation for education as well as transformative philanthropy.

Phil earned his B.A. from Williams College (1970) and both an M.A. (1975) and a Ph.D. (1980) from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. He then went on to teach at Dickinson College and as a Fulbright lecturer at the Sorbonne in Paris.

His true passion for internationalism grew out of that Fulbright year (1977-78) and for over thirty years he has been committed to fostering citizen diplomacy and international understanding. Through a career at not-for-profit organizations, foundations and educational institutions (during which he was awarded a second Fulbright), Phil has seized opportunities to build cross-cultural skills and attitudes among peoples throughout the U.S. and around the world.

He has held executive positions at the French-American Foundation in New York, the American Farm School in Greece, and World Learning (formerly The Experiment in International Living) in Vermont. He was president of the United World College – USA in New Mexico from 1993-2005 during which he led the largest capital campaign in the history of international education. Characteristic of his world view, the title of his induction address in 1993 at the UWC was “Building Bridges in a New World Disorder,” a theme which continues to guide his thinking and action to this day. Phil has been awarded honorary degrees from Lake Forest College, Luther College, Macalester College, Methodist University, Middlebury College, Pine Manor College, The College of Idaho, Wartburg College and Westminster College.

The Davis United World College Scholars Program, funded by philanthropist Shelby M.C. Davis, now invests over $40 million annually to support approximately 2500 scholars from nearly 150 countries at over 90 American colleges and universities, and the program is still growing. Its outcomes include: getting top flight foreign students to get to know and work with their American counterparts; provide first rate education to foreigners on American campuses where they also get to know and appreciate the U.S.; help Americans develop the skills and sensitivities to be successful in a shrinking world; see American campuses become more like microcosms of the world and let the natural interaction of motivated young people develop networks that will continue as these young adults assume positions of responsibility and leadership around the world.

Phil is married to and works professionally with Amy Yeager Geier. They have three grown children: Kate, an elementary school teacher; Elizabeth, an international health educator; and Christopher, a journalist.