Sarah Susannah Willie-LeBreton is an American sociologist and academic administrator serving as the 12th president of

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smit ...

since 2023. She was previously the provost and dean of faculty at

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...

from 2018 to 2023.

Life

The daughter of sociologist Charles Vert Willie, Willie-LeBreton attended high school in

Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...

. She earned a B.A. from

Haverford College Haverford College ( ) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded as a men's college in 1833 by members of the Religious Society of Fr ...

in 1986. She completed a semester at

Spelman College Spelman College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia ...

during her undergraduate studies. She earned a M.A. (1988) and Ph.D. (1995) in sociology from

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

. Her dissertation was titled, ''When We Were Black: The College Experiences of Post-Civil Rights Era African-Americans''. Charles M. Payne, Arlene Kaplan Daniels, and

Aldon Morris Aldon Douglas Morris (born June 15, 1949) is emeritus professor of sociology at Northwestern University and member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, whose work involves social movements, civil rights, and social inequality. He was the ...

served as her committee members. Willie-LeBreton taught at

Colby College Colby College is a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine, United States. Founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, it was renamed Waterville College in 1821. The donations of Christian philanthropist Gardner ...

from 1991 to 1995 and

Bard College Bard College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The campus overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains within the Hudson River Historic District ...

from 1995 to 1997. She served as the coordinator of the Black Studies program for 11 years and chair of the department of sociology and anthropology for 6 years at Swarthmore College. In 2018, she was appointed provost and dean of faculty. On July 1, 2023, Willie-LeBreton became the 12th president of Smith College, succeeding Kathleen McCartney. She was officially inaugurated as president on October 21, 2023. She is the second African American in the role after

Ruth Simmons Ruth Simmons (born Ruth Jean Stubblefield, July 3, 1945) is an American professor and academic administrator. Simmons served as the eighth president of Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black university (HBCU), from 2017 until 2023. Fr ...

who served from 1995 to 2001.

Selected works

* Reviews of ''Acting Black'': * * *

References

External links

President Sarah Willie-LeBreton
, Smith College {{DEFAULTSORT:Willie LeBreton, Sarah Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) African-American sociologists American sociologists American women sociologists 21st-century American social scientists 21st-century American women scientists 21st-century African-American scientists African-American women academic administrators American women academic administrators African-American academic administrators Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Women heads of universities and colleges Smith College faculty Haverford College alumni Northwestern University alumni Colby College faculty Bard College faculty Swarthmore College faculty