Le Moyne College extends LeMura’s term as president through 2026

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Le Moyne College on Tuesday said its board of trustees recently approved a four-year extension for school president Linda LeMura, prolonging her contract through June 30, 2026.

LeMura, the college’s 14th president, has been at Le Moyne since July 1, 2014. No financial terms of her contract were disclosed by the school.

A Syracuse native, LeMura is the first female layperson to be named the president of a Jesuit institution of higher education in the U.S., according to Le Moyne. Prior to her appointment as president, she served the college as provost and VP for academic affairs from 2007-2014 and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2003-2007.

If she continues through 2026, she will eclipse the 11 years (1964-1975) served by Le Moyne College’s fifth president, William L. Reilly.

“I am very pleased that Dr. LeMura will lead Le Moyne College for many more years and will likely become the longest-serving president in the College’s history,” Robert Reklaitis, chair of the Le Moyne College board of trustees, said. “She has proven to be a transformational leader who is beloved and respected by our students, faculty, alumni, and other constituencies. Through her leadership in national and international organizations, she has become a respected advocate for the Catholic and Jesuit educational mission. She has also become a pillar of the Central New York community by working with local leaders on programs to alleviate poverty, improve social and economic mobility, and create strong economic development programs.”

Le Moyne says it has achieved “record-breaking” enrollment and fundraising under LeMura. Earlier this year, the college completed the $100 million Always Forward capital campaign, the largest in its 75-year history.

She has overseen the enrollment of seven “historically large” classes, and the Le Moyne endowment has grown to a record $250 million, per the release.