Leslie Anne Miller, the chair of the Board of Trustees, made the decision public on Nov. 2. “Lynn Pasquerella is a celebrated scholar, teacher and academic leader whose training as an ethicist has helped her transcend traditional boundaries of the academy and engage with communities locally and around the globe,” said Miller in her announcement. “She is a passionate advocate for women’s education and empowerment.”
Pasquerella transferred to MHC from Quinebaug Valley Community College in 1978 as a first-generation college student. Two years later, she graduated magna cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, having worked full-time jobs throughout college. She went on to obtain a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Brown University in 1985.
Pasquerella is no stranger to administrative work. In 2004, she became the dean of the graduate school of the University of Rhode Island (URI) after 19 years as a member of the URI’s philosophy department. She then became the vice provost for research and dean of the graduate school in 2006, and two years later was appointed the University of Hartford’s provost and chief academic officer. As a scholar, Pasquerella has written at length about medical ethics, theoretical and applied ethics, metaphysics, public policy and the philosophy of law.
In addition to administrative and scholarly work, Pasquerella is committed to making positive changes worldwide. Presently, she is a project leader for a research team with the Africa Center for Engineering Social Solutions, a group that promotes the empowerment of women in an area of Kenya devastated by AIDS.
The Presidential Search Committee combed through thousands of e-mails, surveys and letters to form an idea of the kind of president they wanted to appoint. “Lynn represents the ideal of a Mount Holyoke education,” remarked Miller. “She embodies academic excellence, leadership and a deep-seated commitment to the liberal arts and educational access. Colleagues laud her energy, compassion and integrity.”
Until Pasquerella assumes office, Joanne Creighton, who has been the president of Mount Holyoke for the past 14 years, will remain in the position until the end of this academic year.