Rebecca Cunningham has been selected to serve as the 18th president of the University of Minnesota. She will assume her presidency on July 1.
The University of Minnesota enrolls nearly 40,000 undergraduate students and over 15,000 graduate students. Women represent 55 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Currently, Dr. Cunningham serves as the vice president for research and innovation for the University of Michigan, where her leadership has helped expand the university’s research funding to $1.86 billion annually. She has been with the University of Michigan since 1999, where she started as a faculty member in the Schools of Public Health and Medicine. She has held various leadership positions during her tenure with the university including associate vice president for research in health sciences, associate chair of emergency medicine, and director of the Injury Prevention Center.
“It’s the thrill of a lifetime to be appointed the next president of the University of Minnesota. I want to thank the Board of Regents for this opportunity and the trust they are placing in me to advance the U of M’s mission and incredible legacy,” said Dr. Cunningham. “I’m looking forward to building a partnership with Interim President Ettinger over the next four months to ensure a smooth transition. I’m eager to meet with U of M students, who are at the heart of the University’s teaching mission. I’m excited to meet the world-class faculty and staff that make the University a research and outreach powerhouse. And lastly, I look forward to meeting Minnesotans statewide who benefit from all the University of Minnesota does to improve our lives.”
Dr. Cunningham is a graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut. She earned her medical degree at what is now Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.