Ivy Ruth Taylor to Be the First Woman President of Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi

The Rust College Board of Trustees has announced the selection of Ivy Ruth Taylor, as the 12th president of Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Dr. Taylor will be the first woman to serve as president of Rust College.

Rust College was founded in 1866 by the United Methodist Church. The college enrolls about 850 students, according to the latest figures supplied to the U.S. Department of Education. Women make up 59 percent of the student body.

“I am honored and humbled to have this opportunity to serve the Rust College community,” Dr. Taylor said. “Through my conversations with the board, students, faculty, staff, and alumni, it was apparent that many appreciate the impact of Rust College on their lives and want to be part of envisioning its’ bright future. I am thrilled to be part of writing the next chapter for this historic institution.”

Dr. Taylor is the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas. She spent six years as a lecturer in public administration at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She also worked at a nonprofit affordable housing agency and served multiple terms as a city councilmember prior to her term as mayor.

Dr. Taylor received her bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She recently completed an educational doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania.