Dr. Hughes served as the first woman and first African American president of California State University, Stanislaus from 1994 to 2005, making her the university's longest-serving president. She then became the first woman president of Dillard University in Louisiana, where she oversaw major recovery efforts after the university's campus was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Jenn Gayre of Florida State University, Carey Perry of Florida Atlantic University, and Elise Wilson of Mississippi University for Women have all received promotions. Amanda Ballinger is taking on a new role at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland recently honored Professor Wang, dean of the College of Nursing at Florida State University, for her pioneering work in digital health transformation and integrating artificial intelligence into nursing practice.
Dr. Kistler currently serves as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Rollins College in Florida. She will begin her new role as provost of the College of Wooster on July 1, 2026.
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 [email protected].
Jennifer Ross is interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University, Carrie Zebrowsky Cooper is dean of university libraries at Florida State University, and Gwendolyn Lloyd is interim dean of the College of Education at Pennsylvania State University.
“Higher education leaders must be visible, and able to share their institution’s story and clearly articulate the good work being done on campus,” said Dr. Miles “I am personally invested in the continued success of our students.”
The new deans are Meenakshi Wadhwa, Cheryl Lambert, Josephine O. Ibironke, Sandra Inouye, Elizabeth Xyr, Tania Castañeda, Bisant A Labib, Radiah Corn Minor, Kelly Gebo, and Kerwyn Flowers.
The women who have been promoted to new faculty ranks are Lydia Kavraki at Rice University, Laura Vogel at Illinois State University, Daphne Greeberg at Georgia State University, Qing-Xiang Sang at Florida State University, and Julie Collins-Dogrul at Whittier College in California.
"Over the past several years, we’ve accomplished extraordinary things together: record enrollments, historic fundraising, national recognition, and a campus culture that puts students first," said Dr. Saunders. "We’ve met challenges head-on and kept our values intact. I could not be more proud of what we’ve built.”
In her scholarship, Dr. Southerland, an endowed professor at Florida State University, focuses on the identification factors that influence development of science proficiency for all students, with an emphasis on those traditionally underserved in science classrooms.
The women selected for new endowed professorships are Pamela Keel at Florida State University, Kish Parella at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, Sharlene Smith at Florida Southern College, and Gretchen Henderson at Rhodes College in Tennessee.
