ITHACA, N.Y. — The board of trustees of Ithaca College on Wednesday announced it has selected Shirley Collado as the college’s ninth president.
She will assume the presidency at Ithaca College on July 1, the school said in a news release posted on its website.
Collado succeeds Thomas Rochon, who has served as president of Ithaca College since 2008.
Collado currently serves as executive vice chancellor and chief operating officer at Rutgers University–Newark.
The board’s unanimous approval followed the recommendation of Collado by a presidential search committee that the college formed in March 2016.
The 15-member committee included trustees, faculty, staff, and students.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next president of such an accomplished, energetic, and deeply engaged community,” Collado said. “I admire Ithaca College’s devotion to student growth and success, its resolve in facing difficult problems together head-on, and its desire to make sure the college and its graduates make a powerful impact on the world.”
Nancy Cantor, chancellor of Rutgers University–Newark and former chancellor of Syracuse University, said she is “absolutely thrilled” about Collado’s appointment as the next president of Ithaca College.
“Shirley is a terrific leader who collaborates and motivates all those around her to pursue the mission of higher education today of educating the next diverse generation of professionals, citizens, and leaders, and to foster high-impact scholarship that makes a real difference in our world. She has been a true star. She is a consummate collaborator and a leader who gets things done, all wrapped up in one very strong and thoughtful and caring visionary. This is a wonderful appointment, and I look forward eagerly to all that will bloom under her leadership at Ithaca,” Cantor said in the release.
Collado background
Described as an “expert” in organizational behavior and development, Collado has held executive leadership roles in higher education for more than 16 years at private and public institutions, as well as in the nonprofit sector.
Trained as a clinical psychologist at Duke University, Collado specializes in the intersection of race, ethnicity, and gender in trauma experiences and treatment, Ithaca College said.
She has taught at colleges and universities that include New York University, Georgetown University, George Mason University, the New School, Middlebury College, and Lafayette College.
Collado earned a bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development and psychology from Vanderbilt University, along with a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Duke University.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
PHOTO CAPTION: Ithaca College has selected Shirley Collado as the school’s ninth president. She will assume the presidency at Ithaca on July 1, succeeding Thomas Rochon, who has been president of Ithaca College since 2008, the college said. (Photo credit: Ithaca College website)
