Shannon Lundeen will join Stephens College as the school’s 25th president, effective June 1. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, particularly in roles related to gender equity and inclusive leadership

“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,” Lundeen says in a news release.

Lundeen is currently the vice president of programs and operations at Higher Education Resource Services, an organization focused on leadership development for women in higher education. She’s been with the organization since May 2022.

Lundeen has worked in a variety of roles at other higher education institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Case Western Reserve University and Elon University. At Pennsylvania, Lundeen was the associate director of the school’s Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program. Lundeen received her doctorate and masters in philosophy from Stony Brook University.

Lundeen succeeds Dianne Lynch, who has served as the college’s president since 2009. “Stephens College has truly been my life’s work,” Lynch says in a news release.