Rev. William Harrison Powers was the first dean of Hendricks Chapel. A Methodist minister and Syracuse University alumnus (class of 1914), he was named chaplain of the University on August 15, 1929, while serving as superintendent of the Syracuse East District of the Central New York Conference. Before that, he ministered in Syracuse and Ithaca, where he also directed the Wesley Foundation for Methodist students at Cornell University.
Powers believed Hendricks Chapel should never be a “stepchild” on campus. He argued that just as the building stood at the center of campus, its programs should have top-level leadership and equal standing, and that its leader should hold the title of dean. He was installed as dean on the evening of June 8, 1930, the same day the chapel was dedicated.
In his first year, Powers served as dean and administrator, preacher, staff director, and counselor and friend to students. He appointed the first Hendricks Chapel Board, made up of administrators, faculty, and students, in January 1930. Beyond campus, he held leadership roles in the Methodist Church, including serving as vice president of the New York State Council of Churches.