The appointments are Chanita Hughes-Halbert at the University of Southern California, Tanzeem Choudhury at Cornell University, Kathryn Kloepper at Mercer University, Amanda Geidel at Concordia University Nebraska, Rita Ryan at Marshall University, and Dora Malech at Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Simmons has served as president of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M University. When she was appointed president of Brown, she became the African American woman to lead an Ivy League school.
The new deans are Emily Metzgar at Pennsylvania State University, Betsy Becker at the University of South Dakota, Samantha Penney at Hampton University in Virginia, and Kate Klepper at Babson College in Massachusetts.
Dr. Park, dean of the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, is known for her research on sustainable energy and materials conversion pathways with an emphasis on integrated carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies.
Here is this week’s roundup of women who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@WIAReport.com.
Emilie Connolly, of Brandeis University in Massachusetts, and Beth Lew-Williams, of Princeton University in New Jersey, are this year's recipients of the 2026 Bancroft Prize from Columbia University. The annual award honors authors of distinguished works in American history and diplomacy.
The women who have been appointed to endowed positions are Rachna Shroff at the University of Arizona, Heather Johnson at the University of Montana, Analena Bruce at the University of New Hampshire, Judy Staley at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and Katelyn Kotlarek at the University of Wyoming.
The National Institutes of Health's series of grant cancellations in 2025 disproportionately impacted women scientists compared to their male peers. Although women lost less money overall, they had more active resources unspent at the time of cancellation, leading to a great portion of unrealized scientific output, particularly among women in early-career positions.
With over 25 years of experience in higher education, business, and public service, Dr. Kollmann has been serving as chancellor of the New Mexico State University Global Campus. She is slated to become the next president of Vermont State University in July.
According to scholars at the University of Ottawa in Canada, the gender gap in publication output and research impact in economics and political science is shrinking among junior faculty. However, significant gaps persist among full professors.
Throughout her career, Leeds has gained more than 25 years of experience as a professor and university administrator. Currently, she serves as dean of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.
According to a new study, startups in states with legislation that weaken or nullify non-disclosure agreements restricting discussions of sexual harassment hired less women after those laws went into effect.
Dr. Recasner has over two decades of experience as a tenured faculty member and senior administration in higher education. She has been serving as the interim president of Seattle Central University.
The three women promoted to full professor at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania are Diane Anderson in educational studies, Lara Cohen in English, and Nsoki Mavinga in mathematics.
Dr. Henry, a professor of molecular biology and genetics, was the first woman to serve as dean of Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which she led from 2000 to 2010.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst and Princeton University have launched a new partnership with the Hip-Hop Education Center to advance scholarship on women in hip-hop. Under the new initiative, both universities will develop courses, conferences, and other events showcasing women's contributions to the music genre.
Professors Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, Naoru Koizumi, and Janine Wedel are co-directors of the newly launched Corruption, Networks, and Transnational Crime Research Center at George Mason University in Virginia.
