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UD's 20th President

President-Elect Darlene Weaver

Darlene Weaver, Ph.D., UD’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, has been named the University’s 20th president. She will begin her tenure July 1 as the first woman to serve as president in UD’s 176-year history.

Her accomplishments include advancing holistic advising and shaping UD’s “Flight Crew” model; championing an experiential learning guarantee; prioritizing faculty scholarship through the creation of the Office for Academic Research; cultivating a new artificial intelligence curriculum for first-year students; developing a strategic portfolio of programs aligned with workforce demand; and helping secure a partnership with IBM for creation of a state-of-the-art semiconductor lab on campus.

About Dr. Weaver

A nationally respected ethicist and moral theologian, accomplished academic leader and Catholic educator, Darlene Weaver has served as UD’s provost since July 2023. Her leadership has been marked by thoughtful decision-making and a clear focus on preparing students for future leadership and service in a changing world.

Read Dr. Weaver's Biography
Read the Press Release about UD's 20th President
Darlene Weaver sitting at desk
The University of Dayton is a community with a remarkable sense of purpose. I am honored to serve this university and grateful for the trust placed in me. Together, we will continue to strengthen academic excellence, deepen our Catholic, Marianist mission and prepare students to lead lives of meaning, service and professional success.
Darlene Weaver
President-Elect, University of Dayton

Reflections on the Selection Process

Deborah Tobias, chair of UD’s Board of Trustees, and Bro. Timothy Driscoll, vice president for mission and rector, reflect on the qualities that made Darlene Weaver the clear choice to lead UD into the future.

Recording of the Presidential Announcement

Watch a recording of the press conference, originally held on October 12, 2026, in which Darlene Weaver was announced as the 20th president of the University of Dayton.