In Memoriam: JoAnne Woodyard Boyle, 1935-2013

JoAnne Boyle, the former president of Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, died on November 1 at the University of of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She was 78 years old.

Dr. Boyle had stepped down from her post on June 30 after leading the university for the past quarter century. During her tenure, Seton Hill transformed from a small women’s college to a coeducational university with more than 2,500 students and 80 undergraduate and 10 graduate degree programs.

The university has named its teaching awards and its new health center in her honor.

Dr. Boyle served as a professor and chair of the English department at Seton Hill before being named president.  She was a graduate of Seton Hill and held a master’s degree in teaching from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pittsburgh.