On April 16 the Indiana University Board of Trustees named Pamela Whitten as the university’s 19th president. She visited IU South Bend April 25-26, where Chancellor Susan Elrod introduced her to campus with a tour and a small gathering of leaders.
“We are honored that President-Elect Whitten made it a priority so soon after her appointment to come to South Bend and meet with students, faculty, and leaders,” said Elrod. “Her emphasis on students and their success was palpable during her time here, and I am excited to work with her to increase IU South Bend’s impact in our region.”
Whitten toured the campus with student leaders, then met with campus and community leaders Sunday evening and members of the South Bend media Monday morning.
“Central to all that we do across every area of the university will be ensuring the success of our students, who are the life blood of this university,” Whitten said. “This is an especially exciting time as IU builds upon its 200 years of success, strengthening its mission of delivering outstanding education and innovative research. I’m deeply honored to be selected to lead this great university, and I look forward to working with the exceptional faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of IU to seize the opportunities and challenges ahead, creating a better future for all of those we serve.”
IU’s first female president, Whitten is an accomplished scholar, educator, and researcher. She has held a variety of leadership roles, beginning at Michigan State University and now as president of Kennesaw State University.
Whitten holds a Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in communication from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Science in management from Tulane University. She is an internationally recognized expert in the field of telemedicine. As part of her work in higher education, she additionally held leadership roles at University of Georgia and the University of Kansas Medical Center.
