President-Elect Maura Mast in front of the fountain in the Quad

Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­'s 23rd President

Announcing Maura Mast, PhD, as the Next President of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Introducing President-elect Maura Mast, PhD

The Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the appointment of Maura Mast, PhD, the 23rd President of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­, following a comprehensive national search grounded in our Jesuit, Catholic mission. President-elect Mast will join the university on September 1, 2026.

Maura Mast posing in front of a window overlooking campus

Biography

President-elect of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Maura B. Mast, PhD

Dr. Maura B. Mast was named the 23rd President of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ on June 25, 2026, following a unanimous vote by the university’s Board of Trustees. She will join the university on September 1.

Dr. Mast received her BA from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in mathematics and anthropology and her PhD in mathematics from the University of North Carolina. Her mathematics research in differential geometry focuses on the geometry of two-step Riemannian nilmanifolds.

Throughout her career, Dr. Mast has been an advocate for student success in mathematics, with a deeply held conviction that mathematics can be used in a way to overcome injustice and inequality. She is an award-winning teacher; has received numerous grants to support her teaching and research; and has held leadership positions in several professional mathematics societies. In addition to her mathematical research, her publications include a co-edited book celebrating 100 years of contributions by women to mathematics and a quantitative reasoning textbook, Common Sense Mathematics, which was honored by the Mathematical Association of America’s Daniel Solow Author’s Award in 2022 for its impact on undergraduate education in mathematics. In recognition of her advocacy for women in mathematics, Dr. Mast was named a Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics in 2019.

Dr. Mast is a member of the Clavius Mathematics Group, an international association of Catholic mathematicians that meets annually as a community to conduct mathematics research and engage in dialogue about the relationship between faith and reason.

In 2015, Dr Mast became the first woman—and first mathematician—to serve as Dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill, an undergraduate liberal arts college that is part of Fordham University in New York City. Before joining Fordham, she held tenured positions at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the University of Northern Iowa, as well as visiting positions at Northeastern University, Wellesley College, and the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Mast stepped down from her role as dean in 2025 and is spending the 2025–2026 academic year completing the third edition of Common Sense Mathematics and conducting research on international Catholic higher education.

Dr. Mast and her husband, Jack, are in the process of relocating to Seattle. They have three adult children.

From the Board of Trustees

Dear Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Community,

I am pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the appointment of Maura Mast, PhD, as the 23rd President of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­, following a comprehensive national search grounded in our Jesuit, Catholic mission. President-elect Mast will join the university on September 1.

Dr. Mast comes to us from Fordham University, where she served as the Dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill from 2015 to 2025. Dr. Mast was the first woman to serve in that role. During her time as dean, she expanded the college’s donor base, securing significant philanthropic support for strategic priorities; launched transformative student success initiatives — including a new advising model and an innovative internship program; and championed initiatives to support faculty research and curricular innovation.  Before coming to Fordham, Dr. Mast was a tenured professor of mathematics at the University of Massachusetts Boston and served as associate vice provost for undergraduate studies and special assistant to the provost.  Dr. Mast earned a BA in mathematics and anthropology from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in mathematics from the University of North Carolina. 

President-elect Mast is looking forward to joining the Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ community. She asks that I share the following message with you:

“I am both excited and humbled to be chosen as the 23rd President of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­. I have a deep respect for the university community’s commitment to transforming students through a rigorous education rooted in the Jesuit traditions of fearless inquiry, scholarship, faith, justice, and innovation. Our world urgently needs spaces of dialogue and discernment that actively work to heal deep divisions and build a more equitable society. Guided by our remarkable faculty and an enduring dedication to justice, Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ possesses the unique momentum to lead this work. We are poised for extraordinary things, and I look forward to working with the entire community to elevate SU’s distinctive voice and impact.”

An award-winning educator and scholar of differential geometry, Dr. Mast has secured numerous grants supporting her teaching and research and has held leadership roles in national professional organizations. She was named a Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics in recognition of her deep and sustained contributions to advancing the visibility and success of women in the field.  Throughout her career, she has been an advocate for student success in mathematics, with a deeply held conviction that mathematics can be a tool to overcome social injustice and inequality.   Her publications include the award-winning textbook Common Sense Mathematics; a co-edited volume on women’s contributions to mathematics; and a number of articles for research publications.

Dr. Mast’s career as a mathematician and university leader has been defined by a commitment to the intersection of intellectual inquiry and Jesuit mission.  She is a long-time member of the Clavius mathematics group, an international association of lay and Jesuit mathematicians embodying the belief that faith and reason are close partners. Dr. Mast has discerned her call to leadership in Jesuit, Catholic higher education through leadership formation programs, including the Ignatian Executive Leadership Academy organized by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

The first woman to be named president of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­, Dr. Mast brings an abiding commitment to Jesuit, Catholic values, a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing higher education, and a clear focus on student success.  The Board is confident she will lead the university forward with clarity, purpose, and care for our educational mission.

I extend my sincere gratitude to the search committee and its co-chairs, Jason Oliver, ’00, and Ana White, ’95, for their thoughtful leadership and for representing the voices of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni. I am also grateful to the many members of the Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ community who participated in listening sessions, shared input on the leadership profile, and recommended candidates. The outcome we celebrate today would not have been possible without your engagement and commitment.

The Board is likewise grateful to Father Steve Sundborg for his steady leadership as interim president during this period of transition. We are fortunate to have him serving in this capacity and will continue to benefit greatly from his wisdom and commitment when he returns fully to his role as chancellor.

We will share more information in the coming weeks, including opportunities to meet and engage with President-elect Mast. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support of Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ and our mission and please join in welcoming President-elect Maura Mast, her husband, Jack, and their family to Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­.

With appreciation,

Patrick Callans
Chair
Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Board of Trustees