Saint Mary's College Board of Trustees Extends President Katie Conboy's Contract Through 2030

The Saint Mary's College Board of Trustees has unanimously approved a two-year extension of President Katie Conboy's contract, ensuring her leadership of the College through 2030. The contract extension reflects the board's confidence in Conboy's leadership and in her vision for strengthening Saint Mary's as the first-choice destination for students seeking a Catholic, liberal arts education for women.

"President Conboy has earned the full confidence of the Board through her thoughtful leadership, her unwavering commitment to the mission of Saint Mary's, and her bold vision for the future," said Maureen Smith, chair of the Board of Trustees. "Under Katie's leadership, the College has achieved unprecedented success through a combination of enrollment, fundraising, and academic innovation, while remaining firmly rooted in its Catholic identity and the values that have defined Saint Mary's for generations. Additionally, our financial position remains strong and continues to grow under her judicious oversight. We are grateful for her leadership and excited to continue partnering with her as we advance the goals of the College's strategic plan.”

Conboy became the 14th president of Saint Mary’s College on June 1, 2020. She expressed her appreciation to the Board for its continued trust and support. "I am deeply honored by the Board's confidence in me and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving Saint Mary's College," said Conboy. "Together, our dedicated faculty, staff, students, alumnae, and supporters are building on our rich tradition while preparing the next generation of women leaders to make a meaningful difference in the world.”

Since becoming president, Conboy has led Saint Mary's through a period of remarkable transformation, including the development and ongoing implementation of Revere and Revise, the College's strategic plan that charts a course through 2030. Under Conboy’s leadership, Saint Mary’s launched The Avenue Experience and the PACE Center, which integrate academic roadmaps, professional mentoring, and experiential learning into a unified curriculum-to-career pathway. She also oversaw the construction of a state-of-the art facility for nursing science and integrated healthcare education. The College has made strategic hires to augment academics and operations, bolstered its partnerships with Notre Dame, and built new networks across the tri-campus community and beyond. Saint Mary’s has raised more than $180 million in the quiet phase of its “Ring Out Ring True” comprehensive campaign, exceeding an ambitious internal goal 18 months early.

Conboy is a recognized leader in the higher education ecosystem. She spearheaded Saint Mary’s  joining the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA), a consortium of 13 top national liberal arts colleges. She is also active with national organizations supporting independent colleges, Catholic colleges, liberal arts colleges, and women’s colleges and is a regular speaker at their meetings. Since becoming President, she has served on the boards of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the Women’s College Coalition (WCC). She currently chairs the board of the Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI).

August 12, 2026