President Jane Fernandes
Dr. Jane Fernandes joined Antioch College as its new president.in August 2021. She came to Antioch College from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Jane is the second female president — and first deaf president — in Antioch College’s 170-year history, and the third president after its relaunch as an independent institution in 2010.
“Dr. Jane Fernandes brings broad academic experience, scholarship, and a solid record of active engagement in social justice and diversity,” said Board of Trustees Chair Maureen Lynch. “Her appreciation for shared governance and cooperative education are additional valuable assets. Given the challenges faced by small institutions of higher education across the country, and by Antioch College specifically, we are acutely aware of the need to move boldly and with purpose into this next chapter. We firmly believe that Jane Fernandes is the leader the College needs at this moment.”
“I was strongly drawn to Antioch because it has always combined my two great academic passions: liberal arts and social justice,'' Jane said. She is an active voice and participant in addressing critical social justice issues, receiving national attention for Guilford College’s stand against North Carolina’s HB2 law. She has led campuses in undertaking difficult conversations, examining meaningful ways to address systemic racism, gender inequity, and sexual assault — three of the most pressing social justice issues facing colleges nationwide.
Jane reversed years of enrollment declines and attracted the most diverse student body in Guilford’s history (the percentage of diversity among entering student classes rose 12% in five years — from 37% in 2015 to 49% in 2020). She hired and retained a significantly higher percentage of faculty and staff from diverse racial and ethnic groups than liberal arts peers across the country by as much as double. Under her leadership, Guilford enjoyed balanced annual budgets and endowment growth from $62M in 2014 to $89M as of May 2021.
The search for a new president began in early 2021 with a Search Committee composed of Antioch College trustees, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Yellow Springs community members led by Committee Chair Ro Nita Hawes-Saunders and assisted by John Garland, search consultant from Academic Search. Search committee members vetted many highly qualified candidates from more than 60 nominations and submitted applications, culminating in campus visits held in July with the campus community.
“I am excited to be joining Antioch College,” Jane said. “This is an especially important time in the history of the College. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working with the dedicated and talented faculty, staff, trustees, students, and alumni, as well as reaching out to community members and businesses. As we continue to assess what the higher education landscape will look like following the pandemic, this is our opportunity to create together a bright future and build on the creation of a new Antioch College that is already underway.”
Jane has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Comparative Literature from The University of Iowa and a B.A. in French from Trinity College, Hartford, Conn.
Contact the President
Office: 937-319-6164
Fax: 937-319-6084
Email: president@antiochcollege.edu
Location: South Hall, 418