E-town College president to retire

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Elizabethtown College President Elizabeth Rider will retire effective June 30, concluding 40 years of service to the college.

Rider arrived at Elizabethtown College in 1988 as a professor of psychology and served the institution in numerous academic and administrative leadership roles. Elizabethtown College’s Board of Trustees will begin a presidential search immediately and will provide regular updates to the community.

“I am deeply grateful to have served Elizabethtown College as president during a time of transformational growth and strength,” Rider said in a statement. “I will retire confident that the college is well positioned for long-term sustainability, and will continue to advance its mission of providing transformative opportunities for students. I remain inspired by the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters who will continue to shape the future of Etown.”

Named Elizabethtown College’s 16th president in 2022, Rider led the institution through a period of momentum, strengthening the institution academically, financially, and culturally while advancing strategic priorities focused on student success, enrollment growth, academic innovation, and long-term sustainability, according to a release.

“The Board of Trustees is immensely proud of President Rider’s steady and thoughtful leadership,” Elizabethtown College Chairman Michael Spangler ’88 said. “Her deep commitment to the college community has strengthened the institution in lasting ways, and she leaves a legacy of stability, growth, and mission-centered leadership that will benefit Elizabethtown College for years to come.”

Under Rider’s leadership, the college achieved record enrollment milestones, exceeded fundraising goals, and reached a historic endowment milestone surpassing $100 million, per the release. In 2025, she led the celebration of the college’s 125^th anniversary through a year-long series of commemorative events, including the introduction of an updated College Alma Mater. The college recently concluded its five-year Strategic Plan under Rider’s leadership and has begun developing Strategic Plan 2030, a new five-year roadmap set to start this fall.

Rider oversaw the launch of Elizabethtown College’s $40 million Build Brighter Futures campaign, designed to expand access to Etown’s educational experience through scholarship support and create opportunities for future students. She also led renovations to several key academic spaces.

Before becoming president, Rider served as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and led significant academic innovations, including restructuring academic programs and establishing Etown College’s formal school structure. Her leadership helped launch a five-year Physician Assistant Studies program and expand Etown’s Occupational Therapy program to include a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.

Rider also serves as a member of the board of directors for the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania, contributing to statewide efforts that advocate for independent higher education.