The first phase of renovations to Southwestern University's Roy and Lillie Cullen Building, the school's first building on campus built between 1889 and 1900, are expected to be completed by July.

Southwestern University President Jake Schrum announced plans to retire at the end of the 2012–13 fiscal year during his annual State of the University address Aug. 23.

Schrum will end his tenure at Southwestern after nearly 13 years of service. He is Southwestern's 14th president and the fourth longest-serving in the university's history, according to a news release from the university.

"It has been a special honor and privilege to lead my alma mater," he said during the address. "Jane and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity. Southwestern has a great future ahead of it, and I look forward to watching its continued progress."

A search committee of school trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni will begin meeting in September to look for Schrum's successor. Robert Karr, chair of Southwestern's board of trustees, said an announcement will be made before Schrum's last day on June 30, 2013.

"I know of no person more passionate about undergraduate liberal arts education than Jake Schrum," Karr said in the news release. "Southwestern's 15th president must exemplify that same passion while providing visionary leadership consistent with the university's core purpose of fostering a liberal arts community whose values and actions encourage contributions toward the well-being of humanity."

During his tenure as president, Schrum brought more than $136 million of a $150 million goal to the university's Thinking Ahead program, allowing for building renovations, the construction of the Prothero Center for Lifelong Learning and a new admissions center and the creation of the Paideia program. University admission of minority groups has also seen an 8.2 percent increase during Schrum's time at the helm.

After retiring, Schrum and his wife plan to stay in Georgetown.

Also announced during the address was a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue the university's Upward Bound program.

The program reaches out to students who are low-income, first-generation college students or disabled, and offers tutoring, classes and community service events. The grant will allow Upward Bound to continue for five more years.

"We are very excited that we will be able to continue helping these hard-working and deserving young people pursue their dream of going to college," interim Upward Bound Director John Savage said in the news release.

For more information on the program, visit www.southwestern.edu/academic/ub.