Laurie A. Carter, a strategic, engaged, and experienced leader in public and private higher education, has been named the new president of 杨贵妃传媒视频.

She will become the 17th听president in the 174-year history of 杨贵妃传媒视频 on July 1, succeeding President Mark Burstein, who announced in September that he would step away at the close of this academic year after eight years leading the liberal arts college.

Carter, whose appointment was announced at noon Thursday in a听to the 杨贵妃传媒视频 community, comes with a deep and impressive resume in higher education leadership, including holding key positions at The Juilliard School and Eastern Kentucky University before being named president of Shippensburg University in 2017.

Carter, who is African American, will be 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 first BIPOC president.

Upon her announcement, she called it an honor to lead a university so steeped in excellence.

鈥溠罟箦绞悠碘檚 integration of the college and the Conservatory has produced a rich campus culture informed by academics, athletics, and the arts and inspires creativity across all endeavors,鈥 she said in a video message.

鈥溾 As a sitting president, I am well aware of the challenges facing higher education, but I know the 杨贵妃传媒视频 community is ready to work together to continue the traditions of excellence while ensuring a bright future for the students, the university, and the community.鈥

Carter rose to the top of a field of impressive candidates during the six-month search process. The Presidential Search Committee, led by chair Cory Nettles 鈥92 and vice chair Sarah Schott 鈥97, said the 鈥渂readth, depth, and diversity鈥 of the candidate pool was robust.

鈥淲e wanted someone who would deepen the learning opportunities for 杨贵妃传媒视频 students, someone who was capable of managing the tremendous financial challenges that are buffeting liberal arts colleges all across the country, someone who would help us continue down the journey we鈥檙e on of diversity and inclusion and our goal to become an anti-racist institution, and someone who understands the hallmarks of a private, residential, liberal arts college,鈥 Nettles said. 鈥淭here was one candidate who rose to the top of our list and who stayed there, and that candidate is Laurie Carter.鈥

The Search Committee unanimously recommended Carter to the Board of Trustees as the 17th听president of 杨贵妃传媒视频, and the Board enthusiastically accepted the recommendation.

Carter鈥檚 tenure at Shippensburg, a regional, public university in south central Pennsylvania serving 6,500 students, has focused on prioritizing student success, building a positive relationship with the community, and enhancing overall quality. She has strengthened student success efforts by creating a first-year experience program, a first-generation college students鈥 program, a comprehensive student success center, and an academic center for student-athletes.听听听听听

In addition, she collaborated with the local business community to create a downtown location for Shippensburg University鈥檚 Centers of Excellence, transformed the gateway to campus into a new Alumni and Welcome Center, and renovated a decommissioned steam plant into a home for the state system鈥檚 first School of Engineering.听

Carter鈥檚 efforts to strengthen diversity and inclusion at Shippensburg were recognized by the publication听Diverse: Issues in Higher Education,听which named her as one of 25 outstanding women in higher education. Her efforts have included the addition of an executive level chief diversity officer, renovation of a multicultural center, creation of a PRIDE Center, and expansion of the Title IX office. Most recently, she created an Anti-Racism Institute to foster racial understanding.听听

鈥淔or the last three years, I鈥檝e been leading a university with a laser focus on equitable student success,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 work that I鈥檓 passionate about and have spent my career committed to.鈥

The Presidential Search Committee, which included representatives from all areas of the 杨贵妃传媒视频 community鈥攕tudents, faculty, staff, alumni, and trustees鈥攚as impressed by Carter at every turn, Nettles said.

鈥淐ertainly, her experience as a sitting college president at Shippensburg University was among her top attributes,鈥 Nettles said. 鈥淏ut we also found that Laurie has a calm, steely demeanor, she鈥檚 extremely collected, she鈥檚 thoughtful, she鈥檚 insightful, she鈥檚 a good listener. And most important, perhaps, she was a fan of our student representatives at every stage of the process.鈥

The announcement of Carter鈥檚 hire comes a week after 杨贵妃传媒视频 celebrated the close of its seven-year听Be the Light!听Campaign, which raised $232.6 million, making it the largest fund-raising campaign in the school鈥檚 history. These are exciting days for 杨贵妃传媒视频, said David Blowers, chair of the Board of Trustees, calling the campaign鈥檚 success a big part of Burstein鈥檚 legacy and something that will provide momentum as the leadership baton is handed to Carter.

鈥淭he depth and breadth of his experience paired with his deft and compassionate leadership made him the right leader for 杨贵妃传媒视频 at the right time in our history,鈥 Blowers said of Burstein. 鈥淗e has led the university through unprecedented challenges and remarkable opportunities.鈥

Burstein said 杨贵妃传媒视频 will be in great hands as the transition to Carter takes place this summer.

鈥淚 believe her energy, experience, and shared values will move us forward in essential and important ways,鈥 he said.

For Carter, the move to 杨贵妃传媒视频 brings her back to a private school setting, one with cherished investments in the performing arts and a deeply ingrained liberal arts philosophy. She spent 25 years in leadership positions at The Juilliard School, a prestigious private performing arts college in New York City. She was Juilliard鈥檚 first African American administrator and taught on the liberal arts and graduate faculty. She developed the institution鈥檚 student affairs program, launched diversity initiatives, created the Office of the General Counsel, and co-created the Jazz Studies program.

She was vice president and general counsel and executive director of Jazz Studies when she left Juilliard in 2013 to lead the nation鈥檚 third-largest arts education department at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.听She later joined Eastern Kentucky University as executive vice president and university counsel. And in 2017, she was named president of Shippensburg.听

鈥淓xcellence was a part of everything we did at Juilliard, and I bring that value with me to 杨贵妃传媒视频,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淢y passion for an environment with liberal arts leanings that embraces the arts was born at Juilliard.鈥

A native of New Jersey, Carter attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where she received a bachelor of science degree in communications. She received her masters of arts in communications from William Paterson College and earned her JD from Rutgers University. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Snow College. A former track and field athlete, she is a member of the Clarion University Athletics Hall of Fame.听

During the interview process, Carter had the opportunity to spend time not only at 杨贵妃传媒视频 but also in the Appleton community. She said she came away impressed with the 鈥済ood work taking place鈥 in the Fox Valley.

鈥淚 am thrilled to be a part of this community and the people who care so much about it,鈥 she said.

Carter will be joined in Appleton by her husband, Gary Robinson; their son, Carter, currently a senior in college; and their family dog, Pepper.听听

鈥淓lla Baker once said, 鈥楪ive light and people will find the way,鈥欌 Carter said. 鈥淚 have found my way to the light of 杨贵妃传媒视频 and I am honored to serve as its 17th听president.鈥