Thomas Jefferson University has promoted Susan C. Aldridge as the university’s permanent president 10 months after she began her tenure in an interim role, writes Susan Snyder for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

In doing so, Aldridge has made history as the university’s first woman president just in time to celebrate its bicentennial.

She replaces former president Mark Tykocinski, who resigned in July 2023 after coming under fire for liking controversial tweets about COVID-19 vaccines and gender reassignment surgery for children on his official university president Twitter account.

“This is a pivotal moment in Jefferson’s history and Dr. Aldridge is the best person to usher in a new era for Thomas Jefferson University,” Joseph G. Cacchione, CEO of Thomas Jefferson, said in a statement.

The significance of serving as the university’s first woman president isn’t lost on Aldridge.

“I do understand I’m a role model for people who are excited to see me in this role,” she said. 

However, her main emphasis is on her more than 30 years of academic leadership experience.

Prior to joining Jefferson, Aldridge held leadership positions at Drexel University and the University of Maryland, among other large universities both domestically and abroad.

She first joined Jefferson as a member of its board of trustees in 2022.

Read more about Susan C. Aldridge’s fast trajectory after just two years at Jefferson in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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