06/25/2026
A historic new era at Seattle University is here as Maura Mast, PhD, has been named Seattle Universityโs 23rd President.
Dr. Mast, who was the Dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill at Fordham University from 2015-2025, will be the first woman to serve as President at Seattle University. She was chosen following a comprehensive national search and will begin her role on Sept. 1.
โI am both excited and humbled to be chosen as the 23rd President of Seattle University,โ Dr. Mast says. โI have a deep respect for the university communityโs commitment to transforming students through a rigorous education rooted in the Jesuit traditions of fearless inquiry, scholarship, faith, justice and innovation.โ
โOur 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, Seattle University 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 SUโs distinctive voice and impact.โ
Dr. Mast, who was also the first woman to serve in her most recent role at Fordham, was previously a tenured professor of mathematics at UMass Boston, where she was also associate vice provost for undergraduate studies and special assistant to the provost. She earned a BA in mathematics and anthropology from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in mathematics from the University of North Carolina.
