As Dr. Sharon L. Gaber sets foot on The University of Toledo campus Wednesday, she will be doing so for the first time as UT’s president.

Selected in March by UT’s Board of Trustees, July 1 marks the end of a 10-month journey that has taken her from her post as provost at the University of Arkansas to the 17th president and first woman to lead UT in its 143-year history.

“Wednesday represents the end of a transition process for me, but it’s a beginning for this institution,” Gaber said. “Starting July 1, I’ll be working with students and employees, elected and community leaders, and alumni and friends to elevate The University of Toledo on a national stage. Together we will demonstrate and create the excellence our students and this community need and expect from us.”

** Media Opportunity **
Media are invited to join Gaber for part of her first day on the job. At 10:30 a.m. in Student Union Room 3018, the president will be meeting with success coaches to discuss ways to increase student retention and ensure students graduate on time. Around 11:15, Dr. Gaber will be available for 1-on-1 interviews prior to her noon departure. (Click photos to download high resolution images)

“I know I speak for the entire board when I say how excited we are for the leadership that President Gaber will provide The University of Toledo,” said Sharon Speyer, chair of the UT Board of Trustees. “She brings with her an impressive track record of accomplishment and a clear vision of excellence for UT’s future.”

At UT, Gaber will focus on elevating one of the country’s most comprehensive institutions of higher education through increases in externally funded research, student enrollment and graduation rates, philanthropic support, and the recruitment of leading academic and clinical faculty.

Also on Wednesday, Gaber will meet with her senior leadership team as well as Student Government and Faculty Senate leaders. Additionally, she will spend time on the Health Science Campus speaking with staff at the UT Medical Center.

Starting July 1, the new president will also be active on Twitter. Those interested can follow and connect with Gaber using the handle @UTPresident.

Biography
In addition to more than two dozen grants totally nearly $2 million, Gaber is the author of 40 peer-reviewed articles researching and analyzing regional and urban planning, public policy, and the social dynamics that affect community decision-making.

As president, Gaber serves on the board of trustees for the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce and the board of directors for the Regional Growth Partnership.

At Arkansas, Gaber was a member of the board of directors of the University of Arkansas Fayetteville Campus Foundation, the Washington Regional Medical Center, and Simmons First National Corp. She was also vice chair of the Arkansas Research and Technology Park board of directors.

She led the SEC Provosts Group, a partnership of the chief academic officers of the Southeastern Conference, and is a member of the Urban Affairs Association, the American Planning Association, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.

Prior to her time at Arkansas, she served in multiple roles in the provost’s office at Auburn University; these included interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, senior associate provost, and associate provost for academic administration.

She served as an associate dean in the College of Architecture, Design and Construction and before that, was department chair and assistant chair in community and regional planning at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Gaber, who co-founded the Women’s Commission at the University of Arkansas, was named Academic Woman of the Year at Auburn in 2009 and earned the Professional Planner Distinguished Leadership Award presented by the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from Occidental College, a master’s degree from the University of Southern California, and her doctorate in city and regional planning from Cornell University.

Media Coverage
The Blade (July 1, 2015)
13 ABC, WTOL 11, NBC 24 and FOX Toledo (July 1, 2015)
WTOL 11 (July 1, 2015)
The Blade (July 2, 2015)
89.7 WKSU (July 2, 2015)
KSL (July 2, 2015)
The Courier (July 2, 2015)
WFMJ (July 2, 2015)
WTOL 11 (July 2, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (April 29, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (April 29, 2015)
The Independent Collegian (Sept. 2, 2015)