Davidson College Remembers Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Price Zimmermann

TC. Price Zimmermann, a specialist in late Medieval and Renaissance history, became the vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty at Davidson College July 5, 1977. According to an article in The Davidsonian published a few weeks later, he brought with him “13 years of teaching experience, an expertise in expeditionary climbing and photography, and 100 cases of books.”

Zimmermann died Oct. 5, 2024, and the college remembers his life of leadership, service and impact on the liberal arts education offered at Davidson.

One of Zimmermann’s first priorities in his new role was to standardize hiring for new faculty. 

“What is important to determine is if the professor is successful, excited and prepared,” he said. “Teaching requires imagination; to imagine what it is like to be approached by the material for the first time.” 

Zimmermann’s influence on teaching and learning at Davidson College lasted until he retired from Davidson in 2000 as the Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of History.

The lifelong learner, writer and educator was hired by the late President Emeritus Sam Spencer ’40, who said at the time of the hire, “Price Zimmermann combines to an unusual degree high competence and deep commitment. His credentials are impeccable and his record most impressive.”

His work at Davidson continued alongside President Emeritus John W. Kuykendall ’59.

“In our initial visit, Price told me he wanted to get me through my first two years, and then he would return to teaching,” Kuykendall recalled. “He was really like a big brother to me those first years — saved me a lot of grief in some instances and gave me a lot of good advice. I remember in one instance, he said to me, ‘We shouldn’t have any daylight between us,’ and that’s pretty much how we did everything we did.” 

Zimmermann was a prepared, thoughtful and direct administrator, according to Kuykendall, and he had a great sense of what the different disciplines needed. 

“He wasn’t always able to do everything people wanted him to do, but they always understood why he made the decisions he made,” he said. “He related superbly to the faculty.”

Kuykendall also remembers fondly the time spent with Zimmermann and his wife, Margaret, over the years. The couple met at an event at the American Alpine Club. Margaret’s father was an avid climber, like Price, and she attended a dinner on her father’s behalf. The two were seated together and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Scholar, Teacher, Community Leader

Zimmermann was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Williams College and a John E. Moody Memorial Scholar at Oxford University. He received his graduate education at Harvard University and the University of Florence. He wrote for numerous scholarly publications, primarily on Paolo Giovio, a prominent 16th century Italian historian.

The scholar, writer and researcher arrived at Davidson from Reed College, where he taught from 1964-1977. At the time of his Davidson appointment, the dean at Reed College said, “I don’t know any faculty member who has better relations with students. He has cordial, friendly relationships with a wide range of students.” A colleague added, “Although reserved in demeanor, he enjoys people and moves easily in a wide range of humanistic fields and had the good sense to listen to others in areas outside his competence. He is a person of unquestioned integrity and moral probity.” 

From 1967-1970, Zimmermann was a member of the selection committee of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He subsequently served as a member of the Oregon Committee of the National Endowment for the Humanities between from 1971-1977. Outside of his scholarly pursuits, Zimmermann was active in several community organizations over the years, including the Botanical Gardens at UNC Charlotte, Opera Carolina and the Lowell Observatory — he and his wife, Margaret, had the asteroid ‘Callander’ named after them by Lowell Observatory in 1983. He held leadership roles with the American Alpine Club and served on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Outward Bound School in Morganton.  

“Along with many others, I give thanks for the life of Price Zimmermann,” said Davidson College President Doug Hicks ’90. “He interviewed me when I was a prospective student in 1986 (he was an intimidating presence!) and was supportive of me as a student. When I returned to campus as president, Price went out of his way to welcome me back to Davidson. A unique and brilliant man, he added so much to our intellectual and campus community.”