Alumna NAMED 17th PRESIDENT OF US COLLEGE 
30 January 2017
Dr Lorraine Sterritt, who holds an MA in French (1986) and a BA in French and English (1983) from Queen's University Belfast, has been named the 17th president of Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont.
A recognised leader in US higher education with experience at some of America’s finest and best-known institutions, Dr Sterritt will be the first woman to hold the position in the College’s 114 year history. She has served as President of Salem Academy and College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, since 2014, only the third female President in the 242-year-old institution which is the oldest women’s college in the USA.
“The Committee is thrilled to have Dr Sterritt, a scholar and experienced administrator, coming to lead the College at such a crucial time in our history,” said Mary-Kate McKenna, Presidential Search Committee Chair, and Chair of the Saint Michael’s College Board of Trustees.
“Dr Sterritt possesses a deep love of the liberal arts and a clear vision for the future of higher education,” Ms McKenna added. “She was the unanimous choice of the Board of Trustees and we all look forward to working with Dr Sterritt in the years ahead. We are at a pivotal time in higher education and Dr Sterritt is the visionary president we need to lead Saint Michael’s College boldly into the future.”
Commenting on her appointment, Dr Sterritt expressed her enthusiasm to join the community of Saint Michael’s College. “I am very excited and deeply honoured to assume the presidency of Saint Michael’s College,” she said.
“The people with whom I met in the interview process impressed me with their dedication to learning and service to humanity grounded in Edmundite ideals. Their devotion to the welfare of humanity and to care for the environment is exemplary.”
Born and raised in Ireland, Dr Sterritt first went to the United States on vacation in 1984, when she visited New York, Boston, and Vermont, and in her words, “fell in love with Vermont.” She moved to the US permanently in 1985.
Lorraine Sterritt’s career started at Chatham Hall, an all-girls college-preparatory boarding school in Chatham, VA, where she was Director of School and also taught French and Latin from 1985 to 1991. From 1991 to 1996 she studied at Princeton University, where she also served as Assistant Master of Wilson College.
In 1996, she became associate dean of freshmen at Harvard University before moving to the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as Dean of Freshmen and Director of Academic Advising.
From 2004 to 2010, she was administrator with teaching roles at Stanford University, and served as Associate Dean for Graduate and Undergraduate Studies for the School of Humanities and Sciences. From there she moved to Harvard, where she was a member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University and Dean for Administration at Harvard College.
Located in Colchester, Vermont, Saint Michael’s is a residential, liberal arts, Catholic college, with over 2,300 primarily undergraduate students, and a staffing compliment of 155 academic and over 300 administrative staff.
Current Saint Michael’s College President Dr John Neuhauser said: “Saint Michael’s is a special place and Dr Lorraine Sterritt is a wonderful choice to lead the College at this time.”
Dr Neuhauser added that Dr Sterritt brought “an intelligence and depth of understanding of the importance of a liberating education to our nation, and she couples this with a genuine concern for all members of the College community, students, alumni, staff and faculty. Years from now we will only grow in appreciation for the fine work of the search committee.”
Dr Lorraine Sterritt will assume her duties as President of Saint Michael’s in July 2018.
For further information contact Mark Tarnacki, Saint Michael’s College, Vt., tel: +1 802 654 2795.
For general inquiries contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen’s University Belfast; tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5321.
Back to Main News
Top of Page