It's almost a fantasy to think one can be selected to not only lead a school but do so in one's home state. One hired and one retired president live that reality.
Among the cream of the crop of R1 universities, 75% of the Ivy Leagues are now female-led. Ten of the 20 schools to have appointed a female president are doing so for the first time in the school's history.
Among the batch of hires and exits, one leader suddenly passed away after her health took a turn only two hours prior. Elsewhere, before becoming president, at least two leaders have served higher education in an academic or administrative capacity for more than 25 years.
Some of these school board members chose to hire—or part ways with—presidents based on their ability to enroll and recruit students as enrollment becomes a more significant challenge for higher ed.
Thanks to Madeline Pumariega's vision to "elevate educational offerings to raise Miami's talent base," Miami Dade College is now built out with two AI centers and a slew of cutting-edge certifications and stackable credentials to provide its students a competitive leg up.
Ron Patterson's record cultivating strong enrollment numbers made him a ready appointment at Chadron State College. One of these president's decisions to step down, however, is hard to decipher.
With a smaller pool of available students, a growing wake of attention to mental health and a swelling public skepticism of higher education, these small private college and university leaders in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Maine are redefining their job to guide their schools in murky waters.
Aside from some bittersweet endings to some long, healthy careers, one president of a major university left following two "embarrassing" mishaps, and another didn't make it into his first year before resigning.
One president was chosen to lead one of the top 10 research universities due to her resume championing school startups and patents, while one president was placed on leave after a no-confidence vote - for a second time.
