Research & Innovation Speaker Series

April 24, 2025 - 10:30-11 a.m.

Marjorie Hass, PhD
President, Council of Independent Colleges
Former President, Rhodes College
Former President, Austin College

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Leading with Courage and Vision

Marjorie Hass became president of the Council of Independent Colleges in 2021 after years of strengthening independent higher education as president of Rhodes College from 2017 and Austin College before that, starting in 2009.

At Rhodes, Hass expanded engagement with the city of Memphis, enhanced inclusive excellence, and led a comprehensive and inclusive strategic planning process to position the college for success in the next decade.

She defined a strong vision for Austin College’s future by pairing academic excellence with a commitment to educational access for talented students regardless of financial background, along with a strategic approach to securing resources to achieve that vision.

A member of the CIC Board of Directors from 2012 to 2016, Hass was also a board member of the Association of American Colleges & Universities and a former chair of the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

She authored "A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education" and was included on the 2024 list of 40 outstanding women in higher education published by "Diverse". She was also the recipient of ACE’s 2024 Donna Shavlik Award, which honors leadership demonstrating a sustained commitment to advancing women in higher education.

A philosopher by training, Hass earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Hass is an award-winning teacher and published widely on the philosophy of language, logic, and feminist philosophy.