Naomi Burgos Lynn (born 1933) was the first Hispanic woman president of an American public university. She served as president of
Sangamon State University in
Springfield, Illinois, beginning in 1991 and through its entrance into the
University of Illinois system
The University of Illinois System is a system of public universities in Illinois consisting of three universities: Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana-Champaign. Across its three universities, the University of Illinois System enrolls more than ...
as the
University of Illinois Springfield
The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is a public university in Springfield, Illinois. The university was established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly and became a part of the University of Illinois ...
. She retired as chancellor of UIS in 2001. At her retirement the Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair for Lincoln Studies was created at the
University of Illinois Springfield
The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is a public university in Springfield, Illinois. The university was established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly and became a part of the University of Illinois ...
, where
Dr. Phillip Paludan served as its first recipient.
Born in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
in 1933, Naomi Burgos was the daughter of Puerto Rican parents. Her sister,
Ruth Burgos Sasscer, also became a university president, leading a community college in San Antonio, Texas. Naomi attended
Maryville College
Maryville College is a private liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment into the West. The college is one of the ...
in
Maryville, Tennessee
Maryville is a city in and the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, and is a suburb of Knoxville. Its population was 31,907 at the 2020 census.
It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area and a short distance from popular tourist de ...
, where she met Robert Athan Lynn, whom she married in 1954. She received her Ph.D. in political science from the University of Kansas and went on to become a professor of
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
, and then department head, at
Kansas State University. She was also on the Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Review Commission. In 1988 she moved to
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
, where she became the dean of the College of Public and Urban Affairs at
Georgia State University
Georgia State University (Georgia State, State, or GSU) is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1913, it is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities. It is also the largest institution of hig ...
.
She has served as President of the
American Society for Public Administration
American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) is a membership association of almost 10,000 professionals in the United States sponsoring conferences and providing professional services primarily to those who study the implementation of gover ...
, the
,
Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha ( or PSA), the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political and social sciences in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic ...
and the Women's Caucus for Political Science. She has also served on the boards of the
American Political Science Association, the
American Association of State Colleges and Universities
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is an organization of state-supported colleges and universities that offer degree programs leading to bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees. AASCU grew out of the Association o ...
, the
National Academy of Public Administration, and
Maryville College
Maryville College is a private liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment into the West. The college is one of the ...
.
She has authored several books including: ''The Fulbright Premise: Senator
J. William Fulbright
James William Fulbright (April 9, 1905 – February 9, 1995) was an American politician, academic, and statesman who represented Arkansas in the United States Senate from 1945 until his resignation in 1974. , Fulbright is the longest serving chair ...
's Views on Presidential Power'' (1973), ''A Research Guide in
Women's Studies
Women's studies is an academic field that draws on feminist and interdisciplinary methods to place women's lives and experiences at the center of study, while examining social and cultural constructs of gender; systems of privilege and oppress ...
'' (1974), and ''
Public Administration
Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit est ...
: The State of the Discipline'' (1990). She also edited ''Women, Politics and the Constitution'' (1990). She has four daughters, Mary Lou, Nancy, Judy, and Jo-An. She also has ten grandchildren.
Awards
Naomi Burgos Lynn was inducted as a Laureate of
The Lincoln Academy of Illinois
The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to recognizing contributions made by living Illinoisans. Named for Abraham Lincoln, the Academy administers the ''Order of Lincoln'', the highest award given ...
and awarded the Order of Lincoln (the State's highest honor) by the Governor of Illinois in 2012 in the area of Education.
References
*
* Interview with Jessica Lynn Wilson, granddaughter.
*
External links
The University of IllinoisThe University of Illinois SpringfieldThe National Academy of Public AdministrationGeorgia State UniversityMaryville College
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynn, Naomi
1933 births
Living people
Educators from New York City
Georgia State University faculty
Kansas State University faculty
Leaders of the University of Illinois
Maryville College alumni
University of Illinois at Springfield
University of Kansas alumni
American women academics
21st-century American women
Women heads of universities and colleges