Macalester College Board of Trustees Extends President Suzanne M. Rivera’s Contract  

The Macalester College Board of Trustees announced today that it voted to extend President Suzanne M. Rivera’s contract. Dr. Rivera joined the college on June 1, 2020 as Macalester’s 17th president. With this contract extension, her presidency will continue through June 30, 2030.

“During her first term, President Rivera has demonstrated exceptional leadership,” said Board Chair Carrie Norbin Killoran ‘94 P’27. “She arrived at the college during a turbulent time in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and days after the murder of George Floyd and, since then, she expertly guided the college into a period of growth. By virtually every measure, from admissions applications, to recruiting top-notch faculty, to fundraising, to student retention rate, she and her leadership team have positioned the college for a strong future.” 

Since she joined the college, President Rivera has used her more than 25 years of higher education experience to further strengthen Macalester’s academic distinction and maximize the potential of higher education as a ladder of opportunity for all students. She led a highly collaborative strategic planning process, which resulted in the Imagine, Macalester strategic plan. The plan focuses on amplifying what differentiates Macalester: the combination of a liberal arts curriculum, grounded in a residential campus experience, in a vibrant city, with an emphasis on citizenship in the wider world. 

Under President Rivera’s leadership, the college:

• navigated the COVID-19 pandemic without interrupting instruction or laying off any employees; 
• grew the number of first-year applications by 39% over fall 2020; 
• increased the first-year student retention rate from fall 2023 to spring 2024 to 99%, a 15-year high; 
• expanded access and advanced equity through the establishment of the Institutional Equity division, the creation of the Minnesota Opportunity Scholarship Fund, a partnership with the Posse Foundation to attract talented students from the Twin Cities, and development of a new Flemming Scholars initiative that provides extra support for students who are first in their families to attend college;
• heightened its visibility and national reputation, and deepened its connections in the Twin Cities; 
• contributed meaningfully to the national discourse on freedom of expression through participation in programs such as Congress to Campus, Braver Angels, and College Presidents for Civic Preparedness; and
• secured $90 million in philanthropic commitments, and is preparing to launch the college’s largest comprehensive campaign.

“I am incredibly proud of all that we have been able to accomplish as a community over the past four years, and am looking forward to continuing that work together,” said President Rivera. “This year, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the college’s founding, it is deeply gratifying to see our global Mac community unite in our efforts to position the college well for the next 150 years.”

In addition to her work at Macalester, President Rivera has been an active leader through numerous professional, civic, and municipal leadership roles in the Twin Cities and nationally. In addition to serving as chair of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and the MIAC Presidents Council this year, she is an appointed member of the Executive Council for the Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota, and serves on the boards of College Possible, the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Minnesota Private College Council, and the American Association of Colleges & Universities. She was selected by Mayor Melvin Carter III to serve on the City of St. Paul’s Community-First Public Safety Commission. A member of the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable, Rivera was named one of Twin Cities Business’ “100 Newsmakers to Watch” in 2023, and she recently was honored with a Women in Business award by the Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journal.  

Prior to her arrival at Macalester, Rivera distinguished herself as a national expert in research ethics and a passionate advocate for social justice. She has held numerous leadership roles in a variety of national professional societies and governmental advisory bodies. Rivera earned her BA in American Civilization from Brown University, a Master of Social Welfare degree from the University of California-Berkeley, and a doctorate in Public Affairs with an emphasis on health policy from the University of Texas at Dallas.