Welcome

Jo Ellen Parker became the 10th president of Sweet Briar in July 2009. As president, she is responsible for ensuring that all programs and departments of the College are working effectively together to fulfill its mission:

"Sweet Briar College prepares women (and at the graduate level, men as well) to be productive, responsible members of a world community. It focuses on personal and professional achievement through a customized educational program that combines the liberal arts, preparation for careers, and individual development. The faculty and staff guide students to become active learners, to reason clearly, to speak and write persuasively, and to lead with integrity. They do so by creating an educational environment that is both intense and supportive and where learning occurs in many different venues, including the classroom, the community and the world."

The president's office serves as a central point for information and inquiries about all aspects of the College's programs, operations and facilities.

Past Presidents

Elisabeth Showalter Muhlenfeld, President emerita
1996-2009

Barbara A. Hill
1990-1996

Nenah Elinor Fry
1983-1990

Harold B. Whiteman, Jr.
1971-1983

Anne Gary Pannell
1950-1971

Martha B. Lucas
1946-1950

Meta Glass
1925-1946

Emilie Watts McVea
1916-1925

Mary K. Benedict
1906-1916