President Lori S. White
A biography of DePauw's 21st President.
JOE ANGELES/WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
Lori S. White is the 21st president of DePauw University and professor of education.
Dr. White has spent over 40 years working in higher education. Prior to her arrival at DePauw she served as the vice chancellor for student affairs at Washington University in St. Louis and professor of practice in education. Dr. White has also worked in various student and academic affairs leadership positions at Southern Methodist University, the University of Southern California, Stanford, Georgetown and San Diego State Universities, and University of California, Irvine.
Dr. White is active nationally in several higher education organizations and is on the board of directors for the Council for Independent Colleges (CIC) and College Well. She co-chairs the Association of Governing Boards Council of Presidents, is part of the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness group sponsored by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars and has served on the accountability committee for National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). A longtime leader in student affairs, Dr. White chaired the 2016-17 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Board of Directors, was named a Pillar of the Profession by NASPA in 2009 and received NASPA’s Fred Turner Award for Outstanding Service to the Profession in 2024. Dr. White, along with five other liberal arts college presidents, founded the Liberal Arts Colleges Racial Equity Alliance (LACRELA). She also served on the Bipartisan Policy Center Academic Leaders Task Force on Campus Free Expression.
Dr. White’s areas of emphasis in research and teaching include the student experience in higher education and the preparation and mentorship of new, mid-level and aspiring senior student affairs professionals. She is the author of several articles and book chapters and has presented widely at professional meetings. Her most recent publications are a co-edited volume titled "Transformational Encounters: Shaping Diverse College and University Leaders" and another titled, "Keep Calm and Call the Dean of Students: A Guide to Understanding the Many Facets of the Dean of Students Role."
The daughter of trailblazing parents, a clinical psychologist and a registered nurse, Dr. White was born and raised in San Francisco. She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University in education administration and policy analysis with an emphasis on higher education. She also participated in Harvard University's Management and Leadership in Education Program.
