The First Woman President of Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin

Sara Ray Stoelinga was named president of Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The university enrolls about 3,000 undergraduate students and just under 500 graduate students. Women make up 65 percent of the undergraduate student body. When she takes office in July 2017, Dr. Stoelinga will be the first woman president of the 170-year-old educational institution.

In accepting the post, Dr. Stoelinga said “I am humbled and honored to join the Carroll University community and to embody the mission of using the liberal arts to prepare all students for lifelong learning, vocational success and service in a diverse and global society. Carroll’s commitment to creating a community that embraces respect, integrity and stewardship is among the most critical levers we have to reduce social inequality and better society for all.”

Dr. Stoelinga is the Sara Liston Spurlark Director of the Urban Education Institute at the University of Chicago. She has been on the staff of the institute for the past 22 years. Dr. Stoelinga also serves as a professor in the Urban Teacher Education Program at the University of Chicago.

A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Professor Stoelinga’s father was a professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas and her mother was director of human resources for the St. Paul public schools.

Dr. Stoelinga hold a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago.

Update: On February 15, 2017, Dr. Stoelinga decided not to take the job as president of Carroll University.