Another notable Scripps College alumna has made history. On March 27, Merodie Hancock ’87 was inaugurated as the fourth president of SUNY Empire State College and became the college’s first female president. Hancock credits much of her success to her education at Scripps.
“Very often it’s a college major that helps get that first job, but to advance a career and to be successful and happy with life in general, a broad, deep education is essential,” said Hancock, who majored in economics at Scripps. “I’m grateful Scripps College provided me with a strong, rich foundation in the liberal arts that enabled me to move forward in my career and to lead multifaceted, geographically distributed organizations.”
On March 27, Merodie Hancock ’87 was inaugurated the fourth president of SUNY Empire State College.
Hancock oversees the overall operation of Empire State College’s 35 locations found throughout New York state, the worldwide Center for Distance Learning and eight international sites. She also manages the institution’s $95 million budget. The 20,000-student college employs 1,700 faculty and staff. The college’s 70,000 alumni remain actively involved with their alma mater.
Hancock is praised for her innovative ideas in higher education and is a champion for nontraditional students. She has extensive experience educating veterans and active members of the military. In her inauguration speech, Hancock praised the value of an education.
“Learning is an interwoven process,” she said. “Some of us do well with textbooks, lectures and exams. Some of us fulfill our quests for knowledge with the ongoing lessons of life.”
Hancock received a master’s degree in business administration from Claremont Graduate University and earned a doctorate degree in urban services and education administration from Old Dominion University.
Read more about Hancock here.