GROVE CITY — Almost 50 years after first stepping foot on Grove City College’s campus, Richard Jewell announced that he will retire as its eighth president.

Jewell, who started as a student at the college in 1963 and who became president in August 2003, said Tuesday morning that he will retire at the end of the 2013-14 academic year.

He made the announcement to students and faculty at the college’s opening convocation.

“As I have said many times, this has been the opportunity of my lifetime. I look forward to sharing my final academic year with all of you,” Jewell, 68, said.

Under his leadership the college has increased enrollment by 10 percent and added several major buildings to its 174-acre campus.

This includes the new 63,000-square-foot science, technology, engineering and mathematics building, which opened for classes this week.

Other major projects completed under Jewell include a Christian activities building and the Colonial Hall apartments. He also oversaw renovations and expansions of the Carnegie Alumni Center and two dining facilities.

The college is engaged in the Grove City Matters capital campaign, which is the largest campaign in the college’s history. It has raised more than $69 million, or 77 percent, of its $90 million goal.

Jewell also completed the college’s Change and Commitment campaign in 2006, raising more than $68 million on a goal of $60 million.

Additionally, the college added 39 new faculty members to expand the number of academic programs.

In an interview, Jewell said that, after 11 years as president, he will have done just about as much as he could for the college.

“I think that’s well above the average tenure of a college president,” Jewell said. “I think its time for new thinking.”

He said he plans to continue the Grove City Matters capital campaign and other presidential duties in his final year.

However, he does not plan to fully retire when he leaves. He said that he plans to seek other full-time work opportunities.

The college’s trustees will begin a search for a new president at their September meeting.

Grove City Mayor Randy Riddle said that Jewell always interacts well with borough officials.

“Dick has always been available to Grove City elected officials to discuss any matter that pertained to the Grove City community,” Riddle said.

He said that it was easy to work with Jewell, and Riddle hopes that the next president is similarly easy to work with.

Beth Black, executive director of the Grove City Chamber of Commerce, said that she was surprised by his announcement, but happy that Jewell will get to enjoy retirement.

She said that Jewell promoted good town and gown relations.

“He will be greatly missed because of his passion for the students and the entire community,” Black said.

Robert Smith, Slippery Rock University president from 2002 to 2012, said he was surprised to hear of Jewell’s retirement.

“He is going to be missed as a leader in Pennsylvania among the independent colleges,” Smith said.

Jewell and Smith both started their presidencies a few months apart. Smith said that they worked together often, but also developed a real friendship.

“He was a great mentor and very helpful to me and very supportive of our institution,” Smith said.

He said that Jewell is a major fundraiser and is one of the most connected — at both the state and national levels — college presidents in the state.

“People took Dick’s calls,” Smith said.

David Rathburn, chairman of the college’s trustees, said trustees are grateful for Jewell’s leadership.

“He led Grove City with great integrity, intellect and heart. No one has a love for Grove City College greater than Dick Jewell,” Rathburn said.

Paul Kengor, a professor since 1997 and the executive director of the college’s Center for Vision and Values, said Jewell has had one of the most successful and prolific tenures in the college’s history.

“Dick Jewell is Mr. Grove City College. There has been no greater ambassador for the college. This guy eats, breathes and sleeps Grove City College,” Kengor said.

Before becoming president, Jewell was the director of the Chicago-based Navigant Consulting, the nation’s largest forensic accounting firm, from 1991 to 2003.

Jewell graduated from the college in 1967 with high honors in political science. He went on to earn a degree from the University of Michigan School of Law and served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971.

He also served for many years as a college trustee. He was the youngest trustee in the history of the college.

The college has 2,500 students and 25,000 alumni, with 5,000 in Western Pennsylvania.