William Kneip was born in Mobile, Alabama, and attended St. Paul’s Episcopal School, where he developed a passion for service. Kneip would go on to attend Ole Miss, where he studied public policy and leadership and began investing his time in various student organizations. In 2012, William pledged the Mississippi Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta, where he held various officer positions before being elected president in 2015 and receiving the IFC president of the year award.
Upon graduation and being inducted into the Ole Miss Student Hall of Fame and elected Mr. Ole Miss, William felt a calling to Mississippi and began his career as a major gifts fundraiser to expand support for student scholarships and other initiatives to improve access and quality of education for Mississippians. In 2019, he was appointed director of external relations and assistant to the Chancellor for executive affairs at Ole Miss. In his role, William works across the university to advance strategic initiatives and priorities. As a member of the senior leadership team, he works closely with his colleagues on behalf of the chancellor. Kneip serves as the leadership liaison to the university’s medical center and board of trustees while partnering with community members and federal and state officials to advance institutional priorities.
In June of 2022, William married Adelyn Spees, and the couple resides in beautiful Oxford, Mississippi. If they are not trying out new restaurants around Mississippi, they enjoy traveling and spending time with their corgi, Peaches. William continues to serve Mississippi Alpha on the chapter’s house corporation board.
“I’ve always been driven in life by a passion for service. While I discovered this growing up, it was Phi Delt that allowed me to open the door to a life full of purpose-driven opportunities. The values learned and relationships built at Mississippi Alpha have led me to exactly where I am today, and for that, I’m forever grateful.”
