Karen R. Lawrence is an American academic administrator serving as the president of
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. She previously served as the 10th president of
Sarah Lawrence College.
Early life and education
Lawrence was born in 1949.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
and a master's degree in English literature from
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...
. Lawrence earned a PhD degree in literature from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
Career
Lawrence is a scholar of English and Irish literatures. She is also a specialist on the work of
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...
.
Lawrence began her career as an English professor at the
University of Utah
The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...
and
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine (UCI or UC Irvine) is a public land-grant research university in Irvine, California. One of the ten campuses of the University of California system, UCI offers 87 undergraduate degrees and 129 graduate and p ...
.
In August 2007, Lawrence became the 10th President of
Sarah Lawrence College, a liberal arts college in
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as en ...
.
At the college, Lawrence was a successful college fundraiser, increased financial aid, and grew the size of the student body at the college. In July 2017, after 10 years as president, Lawrence stepped down.
In September 2018, Lawrence became the 9th President of
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in
San Marino, California
San Marino is a residential city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It was incorporated on April 25, 1913. At the 2010 census the population was 13,147. The city is one of the wealthiest places in the nation in terms of househo ...
.
Personal life
Lawrence's husband is Peter F. Lawrence, a physician. They have two sons.
See also
*
List of presidents of Sarah Lawrence College
These are the presidents of Sarah Lawrence College in Westchester, New York.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Presidents Of Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College presidents
Presidents
Sarah Lawrence
Sarah (born Sarai) is a bib ...
References
External links
Karen Lawrence at 2015 CommencementKaren R. Lawrence at Huntington.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrence, Karen R.
Heads of universities and colleges in the United States
1949 births
Columbia University alumni
Living people
People associated with the Huntington Library
Presidents of Sarah Lawrence College
Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences alumni
University of Utah faculty
Yale University alumni