Hurst Robins Anderson

Hurst Robins Anderson (September 16, 1904 – April 19, 1989) was an American educator and academic administrator. He was president of Centenary Junior College (now Centenary University), Hamline University, and American University, for various periods between 1943 to 1968.

Anderson, who earned degrees from Ohio Wesleyan University and Northwestern University, taught at Allegheny College from 1929 until his installation as president at Centenary. At Centenary and Hamline, he oversaw renovations and constructions of academic, residential, and recreation facilities, and raised funds to do so at both schools. He took office at American in September 1952 and prioritized administrative and curricular restructuring as early priorities. He proposed two large-scale development plans, which helped expand and upgrade campus and added to the school's endowment, at the cost of tens of millions of dollars each. He grew American considerably—full-time student enrollment grew from 500 to over 3,000 during the course of his term and the size of the faculty more than doubled—and the school hosted Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy for commencement addresses in 1957 and 1963, respectively. He retired in 1968 and died in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1989.