Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D.

President, Stetson University

DeLand, Fla.

Dr. Wendy B. Libby became the ninth president of Stetson University in July 2009. With a broad career in higher education and private industry, she is building on Stetson’s values-centered heritage and tradition of academic excellence and community engagement.

Libby is leading a comprehensive strategic plan focusing innovation to drive Stetson from success to significance – through reinforcement of academic excellence, establishment of a Student Success program, campus infrastructure improvements and growth in recruitment and retention. She spearheaded a major landscaping and classroom-improvement project and development of a DeLand Campus Plan as a guide for future growth. She has taken a progressive approach to residential life at Stetson, including introduction of pet-friendly residence halls and purchase of an apartment complex for student housing. Athletics has grown dramatically under her leadership, including introduction of a robust Club Sports program, addition of three new Division I sports – football, women’s lacrosse and sand volleyball, construction of a new athletics complex on campus this year and a cooperative effort with the city of DeLand to renovate Spec Martin Memorial Stadium for the return of Hatter Football in 2013.

As president, Dr. Libby serves on the Boards of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF), the Atlantic-Sun Conference and New American Colleges & Universities (NAC&U).  Additionally, she is on the Board of Directors of the American University in the Emirates in Dubai. She is also active in Central Florida life and, in 2010, was appointed to the Mainstreet Community Bank Board of Directors. In July 2011, she was named to Volusia/Flagler Business Report’s list of “Influential Women in Business.” She served as president of Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., from 2003 to 2009, and earned her doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Connecticut in 1994.