William Thomson Newnham (February 7, 1923 – August 23, 2014) was a Canadian educator and the first president of Seneca College serving from 1966 through 1984.

[1] After serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II, Newnham went to Queen's University to study physics and math.

[2] Following his graduation Newnham became a teacher and later was the principal of Northview Heights Secondary School in North York from 1960 to 1966.

During his time in office, Newnham saw the expansion of the college from the Sheppard/Yonge locations to prominent campuses on Finch Avenue, and in King City and Markham (Buttonville Airport).

Under President Newnham's leadership, Seneca pioneered teaching in areas that were new to colleges, such as computing courses, and became a leader in international outreach.