Nationally recognized for her progressive views on higher education and community partnerships, President Ryerson speaks and writes about the benefits of women-centered education, gender equality in education and society, women in leadership, and business-education partnerships among many other topics. Her articles appear in numerous publications, and she is featured on the New York Times website.

President Ryerson has elevated the college’s standing as a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education at an affordable price. She led campus efforts to create a remarkable experiential learning program involving internships, community service, off-campus study, and research that connect the liberal arts with life, helping students attain their career and educational goals. She has overseen the refurbishment of many campus buildings and the development of a campus plan for improvement of the college environment so it can better support a learning community dedicated to excellence across the curriculum. Under her leadership, Wells completed the largest and most successful fundraising effort in the college’s history – a comprehensive campaign that, in 2000, surpassed its ambitious $50 million goal.

She continues to lead the college through a significant period of transition as Wells prepares to enroll men in fall 2005 and launches several new initiatives that build on its traditional academic strengths. She has positioned Wells’ internationally recognized and very successful Study Abroad Program and Book Arts Center for further growth. In addition, the college is developing innovative partnerships with neighboring colleges and working to establish a masters degree program. She also leads the development of an ongoing strategic planning process, with associated assessment tools, that supports Wells community members in their work to serve the college mission, charting a path for the college’s continued success.

President Ryerson played a key leadership role in the creation of the Aurora Foundation, an organization affiliated with Wells College whose goal is economic revitalization in and around the village of Aurora and that is dedicated to the college and community working in partnership to achieve mutually beneficial goals. The success of this collaborative effort may be seen at the lovely historic Aurora Inn and several other newly renovated businesses in the village.

President Ryerson is an active leader in many national, state, and local organizations. She is chair of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities of New York State; a commissioner of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; past chair and a current member of the Executive Board of the Public Leadership Education Network in Washington, D.C.; a director of the Independent College Fund of New York; a member of the American Council on Education’s Commission on Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness; past chair and current member of the Board of the Women’s College Coalition in Washington, D.C.; and a member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Development Association (MDA) of Syracuse and Central New York. President Ryerson also serves on the Central New York Advisory Board of HSBC Bank; the board of the Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York; and the Board of Visitors at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Her community leadership includes serving as a member of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Community Advisory Committee and the board of directors of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. President Ryerson recently completed her term as a board member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).

President Ryerson has been honored with a variety of awards including the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District II Chief Executive Leadership Award; a New York State Senate Woman of Distinction Award; the Girls Inc. of CNY Spirit of American Women National Role Model for Girls Award; The Central New York Chapter of The Public Relations Society of America Communications Advocate Award; and a Post-Standard Achievement Award.

A native of Jamestown, New York, she earned her bachelor’s degree in 1981 from Wells cum laude and her master of science degree from the State University of New York at Cortland. She resides in Aurora with her husband, George E. Farenthold, and their four daughters.