Dr. Shannon B. Lundeen
President
Education
Ph.D. and Advanced Graduate Certificate, Stony Brook University. B.A., Colgate University
About Dr. Shannon B. Lundeen
Shannon B. Lundeen, Ph.D., has nearly two decades of academic and administrative leadership with extensive experience designing and implementing campus-wide collaborative initiatives to enhance student outcomes, foster a culture of belonging, and cultivate engaged and diverse communities of learners and leaders. She started her tenure as the 25th president of Stephens College in June 2025.
Dr. Lundeen has served as both a faculty member and administrator, lived on campus among students as a faculty-in-residence, and contributed to scholarship ranging from feminist bioethics to co-curricular learning environments in undergraduate education. Her experience in teaching and administering a gender studies program, directing a comprehensive campus women’s center, leading national dialogues on integrative learning, and serving as the chief program and operating officer for an organization dedicated to advancing women and gender-diverse leaders in higher education has uniquely prepared Dr. Lundeen to lead Stephens.
After earning her Ph.D. in Philosophy and an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Stony Brook University in 2005, Dr. Lundeen became the Associate Director of both the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program (GSWS) and the Alice Paul Center for Research on Gender, Sexuality, and Women at the University of Pennsylvania. In these roles, she taught and developed curriculum for the undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in GSWS, organized conferences and annual endowed speaker series, built strategic partnerships across Penn’s twelve schools and cultural resource centers, secured the Center’s first postdoctoral fellow through a Mellon Foundation grant, and established a GSWS graduate student pedagogy seminar series. For six of her eight years at Penn, she lived in a first-year residential college serving as a faculty-in-residence and living-learning community advisor—an experience that shaped her holistic and inclusive approach to student mentorship and support.
In 2013, Dr. Lundeen became the Director of the Flora Stone Mather Center for Women at Case Western Reserve University, where she also held faculty appointments in the School of Medicine (Bioethics) and the College of Arts and Sciences (Philosophy). As Director, she provided strategic leadership for the Center, overseeing staff, fundraising, program assessment, and university policy guidance on gender equity, sexual misconduct, and women’s leadership. She co-led two annual leadership institutes—one for women faculty and one for women staff—and spearheaded programming to advance gender equity both within the university and in the broader Cleveland community. Under her leadership, the Center celebrated its tenth anniversary, raising more funds than any previous single event in its history.
Drawn to Elon University’s innovative, holistic approach to undergraduate education, Dr. Lundeen joined Elon in 2015 as the inaugural Director of Academic-Residential Partnerships and Associate Professor of Philosophy. In this role, she collaborated with key campus leaders to execute an evidence-based strategic vision for living and learning that fostered integrative learning and strengthened students’ sense of belonging. During her tenure at Elon, Dr. Lundeen served on over two-dozen university-wide committees and task forces, including co-chairing the Women’s Forum employee resource group and the Sexual Assault and Gender Issues Council (SAGIC), and serving on the Inclusive Community Council and the Council for Diversity and Inclusion Content Experts. As a director in the provost’s office, Dr. Lundeen played a key role in shaping inclusive curricula, creating accessible and culturally responsive residential environments, and diversifying students’ experiential learning opportunities. Her scholarship and professional service contributed to Elon’s national reputation for high-impact practices and innovative residential learning communities. Dr. Lundeen co-founded and chaired the Residential College Society, co-led a multi-institutional research seminar that produced over thirty peer-reviewed publications, and has authored influential scholarship on the role of learning communities in student success. Her research and leadership have enhanced institutional practices and shaped national conversations on high-impact educational experiences.
Starting in 2022, Dr. Lundeen served as the Vice President of Programs and Operations at HERS (Higher Education Resource Services), a national non-profit organization committed to leadership development of women and gender-diverse faculty and staff. As Vice President, Dr. Lundeen oversaw program development and delivery, admissions, and assessment while also managing key operational functions, including human resources, information technology, marketing and recruitment, and alumni engagement. She directed efforts to deepen HERS’ impact through innovative program development, enhanced alumni engagement, and improved operational efficiencies. She collaborated with staff and facilitators to embed equity-minded leadership into all HERS programs, increase facilitator diversity, and implement new assessment strategies, ensuring continuous programmatic improvement. Dr. Lundeen worked closely with the President of HERS, securing nearly $2 million in new grant funding to expand access to existing HERS’ leadership development programs and create new ones. During Lundeen’s tenure, HERS grew its reach, resources, and reputation, advancing its mission of diversifying senior leadership in higher education.
Lundeen holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy and an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Stony Brook University and a B.A. in Philosophy and Women’s Studies from Colgate University. She lives in Columbia with her mother, partner, three children, and the family Aussiedoodle.