Dear Scripps College Community Members,
I am pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Larissa Z. Tiedens as the ninth president of Scripps College, effective August 1, 2016. She will hold the title of the W.M. Keck Foundation Presidential Chair, established in 1980. Dr. Tiedens is a prominent social psychologist and influential leader who comes to Scripps from her position as a senior associate dean of academic affairs and faculty member of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
The Presidential Search Committee unanimously selected Dr. Tiedens from a field of highly qualified candidates. Dr. Tiedens’ application, references, and in-person interviews reflected her deep understanding of current issues in higher education, her commitment to expanding opportunities for women, and her appreciation for the value of a liberal arts education.
The Board of Trustees believes she is the right person to lead Scripps College into a new era of academic excellence, national leadership, and inclusive community.
Dr. Tiedens’ academic credentials are extensive and impressive. Since 2008, she has served as the Jonathan B. Lovelace Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a nationally recognized expert and researcher in the field of social psychology and author of more than 30 books, chapters, and articles in journals on social psychology and organizational behavior. Her research has also been widely cited and discussed in mainstream media and major scholarly journals. Dr. Tiedens’ full curriculum vitae is available here.
Demonstrating a proven track record of excellence in higher education administration, Dr. Tiedens is admired and respected by those who work and have worked with her. Known for a consensus-building leadership style, she has overseen the PhD program at Stanford Graduate School of Business as well as its Global Innovation Program. Previously, Dr. Tiedens was the Morgan Stanley Director of Stanford’s Center for Leadership Development and Research, and she has served as an advisor for numerous Stanford leadership initiatives. As senior associate dean of academic affairs, Dr. Tiedens currently oversees educational technology, executive education, case writing, and faculty development for the finance and marketing areas.
Dr. Tiedens received her BA in psychology from Carleton College and her MA and PhD in social psychology from the University of Michigan. As a liberal arts college graduate, Dr. Tiedens is excited to return to her academic roots and to support Scripps College’s mission of providing a distinctive liberal arts education and cultivating the next generation of women leaders. She is enthusiastically looking forward to living in Revelle House, the president’s official residence on campus, with her husband, Dale T. Miller, a professor of psychology and organizational behavior, her two children, Elena and William, and their cat, Montgomery. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Tiedens and her family to the campus and our community and encourage you to join us in helping them feel at home.
We thank the College community for its input, trust in the process, and support throughout this period. The Board of Trustees wishes to extend special thanks to the members of the Presidential Search Committee for their dedication to the College in this important endeavor, and to Bob Sacks P’14 and Betsy Smith ’74 for serving as search committee co-chairs.
Dr. Tiedens succeeds Interim President Amy Marcus-Newhall, who returns to her role as vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, a position she has held since 2010. The trustees are grateful for Amy’s invaluable leadership as interim president over the past year and for her dedicated service throughout her career at Scripps College.
Sincerely,
Mark R. Herron
Chair, Board of Trustees