ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — The Elizabethtown College Board of Trustees announced Tuesday that Betty Rider as the College’s 16th President, effective immediately.
Rider, who has been serving as Transitional President since January, has successfully led the College over the past 10 months. Her term will last through June 30, 2025, with the ability to extend, the press release stated.
“We are pleased to have appointed and named President Betty Rider, Ph.D. to lead Elizabethtown College," Board Chairman Ed Lovelidge said. "As a well-respected and recognized higher education leader to the faculty, staff, students, alumni, and surrounding community, the Board of Trustees is confident in her proven success to elevate Etown during a transformative time.
“Along with an experienced and strong Senior Leadership Team, President Rider has established a transparent and open campus culture and will continue to build and grow upon it to leverage the institution’s key priorities and five-year strategic plan that will enhance the academic experience for students, prioritize fiscal sustainability and diversity and equity for all, and establish partnerships to make deep social and economic impact.”
“I am honored to lead Elizabethtown College as its 16th president and thank the Board of Trustees for their vote of confidence and support,” Rider said. “As a longtime Blue Jay, the time for growth and opportunity has never been better for the institution.
"With our already growing momentum with enrollment, academic programming, diversity efforts, and strengthening and building relationships within the community, I am excited and energized to continue to elevate our College’s greatest assets and build a strong sense of belonging for all.”
For the past three consecutive years, the College said it has achieved record growth and enrollment levels, exceeded fundraising goals, received national accreditation for the College’s new Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program, launched the first cohort of Physician Assistant students, hired the College’s first Special Advisor to the Office of the President for Diversity, Equity & Belonging, and elevated its position in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
The College continues to add high-demand programs under President Rider working collaboratively with faculty to add Healthcare Administration as a new bachelor’s program along with new minors in Marketing, Medical Humanities, and Technical Communications. These add to already highly sought-after programs like Occupational Therapy, Engineering, Biology, Business, Education, Humanities, and Political Science
In its second year, the College is making great progress on its five-year Strategic Plan that prioritizes dynamic and relevant academic programming in which President Rider has led the charge by working collaboratively with faculty to develop and deliver new programs. The plan also focuses on enhancing diversity, equity, and belonging efforts, and strategic partnerships to continue to elevate the College.
President Rider is a graduate of Gettysburg College, has master's and doctoral degrees in psychology from Vanderbilt University, and completed Harvard’s Institute for Educational Management. She has spent the majority of her career at Elizabethtown College teaching Psychology and serving in various administrative roles including Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs.
