Board of Trustees

Membership (2025-26)

Officers of the Board

Trustee Profiles

Trustees Emeriti Profiles

Mission and Values

Stetson University's mission is to provide an excellent education in a creative community where learning and values meet and to foster in students the qualities of heart and mind that will prepare them to reach their full potential as informed citizens of local communities and the world.

At Stetson University, the art of teaching is practiced through programs grounded in a tradition of liberal learning that stimulates critical thinking, imaginative inquiry, creative expression and lively intellectual debate. The art of learning is enhanced through small interactive classes, close student-faculty alliances and collaborative approaches that provide the foundation for rewarding careers and advanced study in selective graduate and professional programs. We embrace diverse methodologies to foster effective communication, information and technological literacy and aesthetic appreciation. We encourage the development of informed convictions, independent judgment and lifelong commitments to learning that are characteristic features of the enlightened citizen. In bringing together learning and values, the university encourages all of its members to demonstrate personal integrity; to develop an appreciation for the spiritual dimension of life; to embrace leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and technological world; and to commit to active forms of social responsibility.

Values

Stetson values the development of the whole person, one who is committed to building lifelong connections with the larger world through personal growth, intellectual development, and global citizenship. To that end, the university fosters policies, practices, and modes of inquiry to support and explore these values.

Personal Growth encompasses the understanding that no single formula defines the journey to personal success, but the passion to increase self-knowledge and the quest for balance are important tools in this process. Intercultural competence, religious and spiritual exploration, self-awareness, and wellness are components of personal growth.

Intellectual Development is a commitment from the university and from students to achieve excellence in academics, to foster the spirit of exploration that drives an engaged and active mind, to cultivate rigorous methods of academic inquiry, to model and support absolute integrity, and to value creativity and professionalism.

Global Citizenship is an important part of Stetson’s mission to prepare students to be informed, active, and engaged citizens of both local communities and the world. Global citizenship includes university and individual commitments to community engagement, diversity and inclusion, environmental responsibility, and social justice.

About Stetson University

Founded in 1883, Stetson University is an independent university that provides a transforming education in the liberal arts tradition. The university stresses academic excellence, community-engaged learning and consistently earns high national rankings. In 1982, Stetson University was awarded a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honorary society. The College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration and School of Music are located at the historic campus in DeLand, Fla.; the College of Law is located at the Gulfport campus near St. Petersburg, Fla. The university also has a satellite center - the Tampa Law Center in Tampa, Fla.