BOSTON -- Following a comprehensive nationwide search, Emmanuel College announced June 28 that Mary K. Boyd has been named the school's 13th president.

The college's board of trustees voted unanimously to appoint Boyd, who has decades of experience in academic leadership, including at Catholic and mission-driven institutions such as Berry College, St. Edward University, the University of San Diego and Loyola University Chicago.

"Mary Boyd is an exceptional leader who will build on the historic legacy of Sister Janet Eisner to further realize the immense promise of Emmanuel College," said Margaret L. McKenna, Chair of the board of trustees and a 1983 graduate of Emmanuel.

"Dr. Boyd brings a deep commitment to the college's mission, a wealth of experience in Catholic higher education, and a demonstrated ability to adapt programs, teams, and technologies to what's next. We look forward to collaborating with her to continue to form the ethical and effective leaders our society needs more than ever," McKenna added.

Since 2017, Boyd has served as provost at Berry College. Located in Mount Berry, Georgia, Berry is part of the Annapolis Group, a network of liberal arts colleges that includes Amherst, Kenyon, Pomona, Vassar and Williams colleges. During her time at Berry, Boyd has driven the process of strategically expanding academic programs and diversifying revenue streams. She has overseen all aspects of academic services, faculty development, and experiential learning. Among her many accomplishments at Berry, she co-led an effort to dramatically increase student retention rates and developed new academic majors across several disciplines, including nursing, business, the arts, technology and more.

A hallmark of Dr. Boyd's career has been a commitment to student success and development through creating and expanding opportunities for research, internships, mentorship, study abroad and industry-standard certifications. Her commitment to the Catholic intellectual tradition and Catholic social teaching has fueled a passion for diversity, equity and inclusion. Boyd's leadership in grant writing and fundraising has yielded millions of dollars to support these initiatives.

A chemist, Boyd served from 2008 to 2013 as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Diego, a private Catholic university with more than 8,000 students. While at USD, she was principal investigator for a National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE grant to support the success of female faculty, particularly those of color, in STEM. She also served as chair of the Department of Chemistry at Georgia Southern University among other academic roles, and was a faculty fellow for the Center for Ethics and Social Justice at Loyola University Chicago.

"The mission of Emmanuel strongly resonates with me, and I embrace the opportunity to steward the college's Catholic educational mission into the future," Boyd said. "Emmanuel rests in the very heart of the great city of Boston, which affords its community, especially students, access to unparalleled opportunities. Emmanuel's entrepreneurial spirit and the leadership of Sister Janet Eisner, SNDdeN, have led to transformative partnerships and initiatives, and I look forward to leading the college into this next phase of innovation and growth."

"Mary Boyd is the ideal leader for Emmanuel at this moment of possibility, both for the College and for our City and Commonwealth," said Jack Connors, Jr., founding partner and chairman emeritus of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc., and an Emmanuel College Trustee. "With her vibrant intellect, energy and ideas, she will create the conditions for Emmanuel students to grow as future difference-makers for our organizations, institutions and communities."

Boyd, who will begin her presidency at the start of the Fall 2022 semester, joins Emmanuel at a time of significant momentum. Recently, the college completed its "Campaign for Our Second Century," exceeding the $50 million fundraising goal. Additionally, the incoming first-year undergraduate class is one of the largest in the college's history.

Emmanuel's presidential search began in the fall of 2021, following the announcement by Sister Janet Eisner that she would conclude her tenure as president. Inaugurated in 1979, Sister Janet holds the distinction of being the longest-serving woman college president in the country.

"Serving as president of Emmanuel College has been one of the greatest joys of my life," said Sister Janet. "As I transition to President Emerita, I do so with great optimism for Emmanuel. I look forward now to welcoming Dr. Mary Boyd, who throughout her career has shown a clear and consistent commitment to educational excellence. I believe she will be an outstanding leader for Emmanuel College."