By Kayleigh Lentz

July 1, 2026: Sarah Lawrence College is pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has voted to reappoint Cristle Collins Judd to a third term as the College’s President.
 
“Cristle has demonstrated her ability to lead the College through periods of turbulence and rapid change, with calmness, wisdom, integrity, humanity, and humility,” said Meryl Rosen ’82, Chair of the Sarah Lawrence College Board of Trustees. College Board of Trustees. “Having a president with proven experience, vision, and commitment to the College, its mission, and its people – exactly what we have in Cristle – is critical at this period in Sarah Lawrence’s history.”
 
Judd was named the 11th president of Sarah Lawrence in 2017. Throughout her first two terms, Judd has focused on long-term planning and development of the human, physical, and financial resources necessary to ensure that Sarah Lawrence thrives in its second century. Her work is underscored by a tireless commitment to strengthening the College’s financial footing; in 2021, she secured a $20 million gift – the largest in the College’s history – from an anonymous alumna, which continues to support and advance the institution’s strategic vision for the future.
 
“On behalf of Westchester County, I congratulate President Cristle Collins Judd on her reappointment to a third term leading Sarah Lawrence College,” said Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins. “Under her leadership, Sarah Lawrence has strengthened its role not only as one of the nation’s premier institutions of higher education but also as a valued community partner committed to innovation, collaboration and opportunity. Her dedication to academic excellence, workforce development, and meaningful engagement throughout Westchester has helped create pathways for students and residents alike. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with President Judd and Sarah Lawrence College as together we invest in the future of our communities.”
 
Under Judd’s leadership, Sarah Lawrence College has expanded opportunities for lifelong learning, strengthened community partnerships across the region with public and private institutions such as Yonkers Public Library, Westchester and Bronx Community Colleges, the Hudson River Museum, ArtsWestchester, Wartburg, and more. She also spearheaded the launch of the Institute for Genomics Education, Workforce & Leadership, and helped establish a master’s program in Genome Health Analysis through a partnership with NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
 
“Yonkers Public Library (YPL) is grateful for the friendship extended to us by Sarah Lawrence College under Cristle’s leadership,” said YPL Director Jesse Montero. “I’m unaware of any private university that is so genuinely committed to supporting the community it's situated in, or to partnering with the organizations that serve it.”
 
Judd believes that collective engagement is the most productive way to respond to ongoing challenges to higher education. She has worked closely with fellow college and university presidents and education leaders through the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to sustain and strengthen higher education and promote equity, innovation, and excellence in the field.
 
“Cristle Collins Judd’s reappointment reflects the confidence of the Sarah Lawrence College community in her steady and principled leadership during a period of significant transformation in higher education,” said Lynne Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. “Her commitment to academic excellence, access, and innovation—rooted in the distinctive values of Sarah Lawrence—has strengthened the institution’s capacity to serve students and communities alike. At a time when colleges and universities are called upon to reaffirm their public purpose, her work exemplifies the importance of sustaining trust, advancing equity, and ensuring that liberal education continues to prepare students for lives of meaning, responsibility, and engagement with the world. On the national level, President Judd serves as a compelling and respected voice, helping to shape broader conversations about the future of higher education.”
 
“At a time when authenticity is increasingly giving way to automation, collaboration to isolation, and disagreement to disengagement, Sarah Lawrence College continues to believe in the importance of creativity, critical inquiry, empathy, and thoughtful engagement with the world,” said Judd. “A century after Sarah Lawrence’s founding, these values remain the solid foundation upon which our second century is built, and I am honored to be part of this remarkable institution.”