Shannon Lundeen Named President of Stephens College in Missouri

Shannon Lundeen has been named the twenty-fifth president of Stephens College. She will assume her new role on July 1.

Stephens College is a private women’s college in Columbia, Missouri. The school enrolls over 300 undergraduate and nearly 200 graduate students.

With nearly two decades of higher education experience, Dr. Lundeen currently serves as vice president of programs and operations at HERS (Higher Education Resources Services), a leadership development and research organization dedicated to advancing women and gender-diverse leaders in higher education.

Prior to joining the HERS administration in 2022, Dr. Lundeen spent seven years as an associate professor of philosophy and director of academic-residential partnerships at Elon University in North Carolina. Earlier in her career, she served as director of the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and as associate director of the gender, sexuality, and women’s studies program for the Alice Paul Center for Research at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Stephens’ rich history of expanding access to education for diverse and historically underserved populations is deeply aligned with my passion for advancing equity in and through higher education,” said Dr. Lundeen. “The opportunity to lead an innovative and values-driven community that champions women and provides all students with an inclusive, transformational education is an incredible honor. I am eager to join this dynamic, dedicated community and work alongside faculty, staff, students, alumni, community partners, and trustees to shape a bold and thriving future for Stephens College.”

Dr. Lundeen is a graduate of Colgate University in New York, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in philosophy and women’s studies. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Stony Brook University in New York.