Cindy R. Jebb, Ph.D., has been named the 5th president of Ramapo College of New Jersey.
The Ramapo College Board of Trustees announced the appointment at a special meeting on March 5, 2021. Dr. Jebb will begin serving as president on July 6, 2021, succeeding President Peter P. Mercer, who began his tenure in July 2005 and announced his retirement from the state liberal arts college in September 2019.
Board of Trustees Chair Susan A. Vallario, who led the College’s 18-month long search process, said, “Dr. Jebb brings a wealth of diverse experiences, networks, and perspectives to Ramapo College. Her passion for the liberal arts, her commitment to inclusion and student success, her long-standing dedication to public service, and her infectious and inspiring enthusiasm for Ramapo’s future make her the ideal choice to lead our College through its next chapter. On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, we are tremendously excited for the opportunity to collaborate with her.”
Dr. Jebb retires from the U.S. Army this summer with the rank of Brigadier General after 39 years of service to the nation. She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Duke University, a M.A. in Political Science from Duke, an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point. She has taught courses in Comparative Politics, International Security, International Relations, Cultural Anthropology, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, and Officership. Additionally, Dr. Jebb has served in command and staff positions at home and abroad; conducted human security research in Africa; and completed study projects in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Author and co-author of three books, a recipient of an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Bard College, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Jebb served as Professor and Head of the Department of Social Sciences at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point before assuming the duties as Dean of the Academic Board there. She is married to Dr. Joel Jebb, and they have four adult children (including their daughter-in-law) and one grandchild. The Jebbs will be relocating to the Mahwah area.
“I would like to thank the Chair of the Board of Trustees Susan Vallario, the Board of Trustees, President Mercer, the Search Committee, and the Ramapo community for such a warm and gracious welcome. I am honored, humbled, and thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the Ramapo community. I am inspired by the College’s mission of education, grounded in the liberal arts, and I deeply admire the passion, commitment, and talents of everyone I have met towards dignity and respect, character-building, and a student-focused powerful learning environment. All that is at stake in our nation and our world puts Ramapo’s mission and values in sharp focus, and I look forward to partnering with students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater Ramapo community as together we chart the future.”
President Mercer shared, “The story of Ramapo College has been one of which I am most proud to be a part. That story will continue and it will grow when Dr. Jebb steps into the presidency. Guided by her own lived experiences as a professor, a chief academic officer, and a military intelligence officer, I believe Dr. Jebb brings with her the stability, compassion, and strategic leadership that our students deserve and that our College requires to thrive in these complex times.”
Under President Mercer’s 16-year tenure, the College has experienced substantial physical and academic growth. His leadership through successful fundraising efforts and strategic planning has led to numerous transformative campus-wide building and renovation programs. His steadfast focus on the College’s academic curriculum, faculty-student research, and experiential learning has enhanced the College’s positive reputation and excellent recognition in the state as well as nationally.
The College’s continued success and bold future under the new president remains the key priority for Ramapo’s Board of Trustees, 6,000+ students, more than 40,000 alumni, and team of dedicated faculty and staff.