KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Yale University's new president, the first woman appointed permanently to the position, is a Knox County high school graduate.
Maurie McInnis will serve as the Ivy League school's 24th president. She attended Webb High School and both of her parents were professors at the University of Tennessee.
She was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, but her family moved to Knoxville when she was around 6 years old. She attended school in Cedar Bliff and then graduated from Webb High School in 1984. Her parents lived in Knoxville until around 2 years ago, when they retired back to Florida.
“A compelling leader, distinguished scholar, and devoted educator, she brings to the role a deep understanding of higher education and an unwavering commitment to our mission and academic priorities,” senior trustee and chair of Yale's presidential search committee Josh Bekenstein said regarding McInnis's appointment. “Her experience and accomplishments over the past three decades have prepared her to lead Yale in the years ahead.”
McInnis first joined Yale in 1989 as a history of art graduate student and became a trustee in 2022. She's had a three-decade career in higher education which has involved teaching, research and leadership roles. Most recently, she was the president of Stony Brook University.
“Since her graduation from Yale, she has lived up to the mission of our university, leading with an unshakeable commitment to education and research for the common good,” Bekenstein said.
You can read the school's announcement here.