President’s Welcome

Greetings from Colgate Hall! I’d like to welcome you to Colby-Sawyer College, which has a rich history of educating students and transforming lives since 1837.

The college offers an array of majors that provide students with a chance to immerse themselves in a field of study. Students are required to complete an internship, which helps connect their classroom knowledge to professional expertise. Over fifty percent of our students receive job offers from their internship site. Our students also complete a senior capstone project, that enables them to explore a specific aspect of their major in which they are interested. Students also gain a breadth of knowledge from their core courses, through which they are introduced to multiple disciplines. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio means that students get to know their faculty well and they will not be a number at Colby-Sawyer. Our faculty and staff are committed to supporting students to become healthy human beings, productive career professionals, and engaged global citizens.

At Colby-Sawyer, we believe in respecting the identities of all individuals. We believe our college is enhanced by a diversity of perspectives, whether it be racial, ethnic, sexuality, socioeconomic, religious, disabilities, political beliefs, and other differences. We are committed to recruiting and retaining a more diverse community of students, faculty and staff. We recently created a new position – vice president for human resources and chief diversity officer – and will be hiring for this position in Spring 2022. While we will have a senior leader who comes to work each day focused on the strategic aspects of human resources and equity, diversity and inclusion, the reality is that this responsibility is shared by every member of the community. You can learn more about diversity at Colby-Sawyer here.

Colby-Sawyer also recognizes that certain groups have been marginalized throughout its history and we strive to create an environment that is anti-racist. We categorically denounce racism in all of its forms and strive to create a more inclusive environment for all in which to learn. We host conversations that allow dialog around difficult topics and provide training for faculty, staff and students. We know this will be an ongoing process, not one with a finite finish line.

I encourage you to explore the website for more information about the academic and co-curricular programs Colby-Sawyer offers. That said, it is our people who make the biggest difference at the college and the best way to experience our sense of community is to visit campus.

Colby-Sawyer students make a difference in all they do. Come join us!

Best wishes,

Susan D. Stuebner, Ed.D.
President and Professor of Social Sciences and
Education Volanakis Family Presidential Chair

Biography

Susan D. Stuebner was named president and professor of social sciences and education at Colby-Sawyer College on July 1, 2016. With more than twenty years of experience in higher education, President Stuebner brings considerable knowledge about strategic planning, collaborative decision making, and institutional effectiveness. Since her arrival at Colby-Sawyer College, President Stuebner has introduced a strategic plan, increased the endowment by nearly $30 million to $62.8 million, refreshed the liberal education requirements, and identified a strategic direction for the institution in the health sciences.

Prior to Colby-Sawyer, President Stuebner was the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where she supervised the vice presidents in financial services, human resources, development and alumni affairs, student affairs, college relations, admissions, financial aid, retention and enrollment planning. She chaired the president's senior staff, strategic planning, and finance and facilities committees.

Before her role at Allegheny, President Stuebner spent a decade at Lycoming College in a progressive senior level administrative positions concluding as vice president for administration and planning. While working on her doctoral dissertation, she also served as an academic counselor at Dartmouth College, a freshman proctor and director of freshman intramurals at Harvard College, and special assistant to the president at Wheelock College. President Stuebner also held the position of teaching fellow for a number of courses at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She began her career at Albright College, where she held concurrent roles as head women's basketball coach, admissions counselor and special assistant to the academic dean.

President Stuebner is involved professionally at the national, regional and local levels. She currently serves as a member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) Board of Directors, the Executive Committee for the New Hampshire College and University Council (NHCUC), and the Executive Committee for NH Campus Compact. She also serves as a Commissioner on the NH Department of Education Commission on Higher Education and a Corporator for Mascoma Bank. President Stuebner also recently completed terms on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Membership Committee and Council for Independent College (CIC) Board of Directors. She has served as a member of eight visiting teams for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and has chaired teams for New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE) site visits.

President Stuebner earned her A.B. in psychology from Dartmouth College. She completed her graduate work at Harvard University Graduate School of Education earning an Ed.M. in administration, planning and social policy and an Ed.D. in higher education. President Stuebner’s research and professional interests center on leadership, decision-making and the sustainability of private, residential, liberal arts colleges with endowments of less than $200 million.

A native of Deephaven, Minn., President Stuebner enjoys spending time with her spouse Amanda and their children (Tyler, 25, and Gabrielle, 22), walking with her two Labradoodles, kayaking, hiking, traveling and cheering for the New England Patriots.