Shirley M. Collado is the ninth president of Ithaca College. She is known nationally for designing and implementing innovative approaches to higher education that expand student access and success, and has extensive experience overseeing complex not-for-profit organizations in both the private and public sectors of higher education. She is a national thought leader on developing successful cross-sector collaborations, building the capacity of equity, inclusion, and full participation in organizations, and strengthening the pathway to the professoriate and leadership roles in higher education.
President Collado brings this inclusive, visionary approach to her leadership at Ithaca College. In her first year at IC, she launched two innovative efforts to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration and develop the talent of faculty, staff, and students: the President’s Seed Grant Initiative, which awarded grants to interdisciplinary teams for projects that enriched the campus community, and the President’s Fellows Program, which saw two faculty, two staff members, and two students move into positions outside of their typical professional or academic environment for one academic year.
Additionally, under President Collado’s direction, the Ithaca College community launched a strategic planning process in the 2018-19 academic year, focused on creating a foundational blueprint for the future of the college that ensures a transformative student experience within a diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning community.
In partnership with a dynamic and bold senior leadership team, President Collado is dedicated to igniting creativity and full participation within the campus community, a continuation of her professional journey in higher education and the non-profit sector.
President Collado took office on July 1, 2017. She also serves as a professor in Ithaca College's Department of Psychology.