Campus Compact is excited to announce that five higher education and civic leaders have been named to our Board of Directors—Grant Cornwell, president of Rollins College, Susan Elrod, chancellor of Indiana University South Bend, Lisa Freeman, president of Northern Illinois University, Havidán Rodríguez, president of University at Albany, and Susan Stroud, Campus Compact’s founding president who currently holds roles at Peace Corps and The George Washington University. Each will serve a three-year term as members at large.
We are also pleased to announce that Jessica Howard, who joined our Board of Directors in 2022 will now serve as vice chair.
We are excited for these new members to lend their knowledge and expertise to strengthen our board. We are further grateful to our entire board of directors for their leadership at a time when the role of higher education in furthering community wellbeing has never been more critical and as we launch our new strategic plan.
“We’re so glad to welcome President Cornwell, President Elrod, President Freeman, President Rodríguez, and Ms. Stroud to our board of directors,” said Dr. Mary K. Grant, president of Massachusetts College of Art and Design and chair of the Campus Compact board of directors. “Their experience as leaders in higher education will help us effectively pursue our refined mission and goals and our new strategic plan. We are excited for them to contribute their passions and perspectives as we continue to advance an equitable, accessible, and just democracy that contributes to our collective flourishing.”
About the new members of the Campus Compact board of directors:
Dr. Grant Cornwell is the president of Rollins College. Cornwell became Rollins College's 15th president after serving eight years as president of The College of Wooster, where he promoted diversity, global engagement, and experiential learning. Previously, he was vice president and dean of academic affairs at St. Lawrence University. Since 2015, Cornwell has enhanced Rollins' reputation, achieving record applications, enrollment, and diversity. He has led strategic planning, capital projects, and a successful $290 million fundraising campaign. Nationally recognized for his work on liberal learning in a global context, Cornwell has served on numerous educational boards and committees. He holds degrees in philosophy and biology from St. Lawrence University and advanced degrees in philosophy from the University of Chicago. Cornwell also serves as a professor of philosophy at Rollins.
Read more about Grant Cornwell
Dr. Susan Elrod is the chancellor at Indiana University South Bend, the largest regional campus of Indiana University. An experienced biology professor and university administrator, she has held leadership roles in the California State University and University of Wisconsin systems, including dean at CSU Fresno and interim provost at CSU Chico. She was also provost at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. As executive director of Project Kaleidoscope at the Association of American Colleges & Universities, she led initiatives to improve undergraduate STEM education. Elrod co-founded the Coalition for Reform in Undergraduate STEM Education and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from UC Davis and an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from CSU Chico.
Read more about Susan Elrod
Dr. Lisa Freeman is the president of Northern Illinois University. As NIU’s 13th President, Freeman is dedicated to promoting social mobility, impactful scholarship, and regional engagement, emphasizing equity and inclusion within the university. Appointed in September 2018, Freeman previously served as NIU’s Executive Vice President and Provost and joined NIU in 2010 as vice president for research and graduate studies. Before NIU, she held leadership roles at Kansas State University, contributing significantly to research, teaching, and fostering academic-industry partnerships. Freeman holds degrees from Cornell University and The Ohio State University, with research focused on ion channels in diseases and interdisciplinary collaboration. Recognized for her professional and community contributions, she serves on various boards, including the Association of Public and Land Grant Colleges and The Chicago Network.
Read more about Lisa Freeman
Dr. Havidán Rodríguez is the 20th president of the University at Albany. As the first Hispanic/Latino president of a SUNY four-year institution, he has significantly advanced UAlbany since taking office in September 2017. Under his leadership, UAlbany has opened a state-of-the-art teaching and research facility, secured $75 million for the Albany Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Initiative, and became the first R1 institution in the northeast to earn the Seal of Excelencia for Latina and Latino student success. With over 30 years of experience in higher education and as a respected social scientist in disaster response and resiliency, Rodríguez has held leadership roles at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the University of Texas-Pan American, and the University of Delaware. Recognized for his contributions to higher education and diversity, he serves on several influential boards. Born in Puerto Rico and fluent in English and Spanish, Rodríguez holds degrees in psychology and sociology from the University of Maryland and the University of Wisconsin.
Read more about Havidán Rodríguez
Susan Stroud was Campus Compact’s founding president and currently serves as Senior Fellow at The George Washington University. Since 2016, she has been a Senior Fellow at the Honey Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service at George Washington University, where she initiated a national service oral history project and co-founded the National Service Archive at Indiana University. Recently, Stroud worked in the Office of Global Operations at the Peace Corps as Project Expert on Host Country Volunteerism, aiming to expand volunteerism in host countries. Previously, Stroud was the National Service Advisor at the US Peace Corps and the founding director of Innovations in Civic Participation, a non-profit promoting global youth civic engagement. She co-founded the Talloires Network with Tufts University, served in the Clinton administration to establish the AmeriCorps program, and worked at the Corporation for National Service. From 1998-2001, Susan worked at the Ford Foundation on international youth civic engagement policies. Earlier in her career, she was the founding director of the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University.
Read more about Susan Stroud