Harris, Lieberman Named Presidents-In-Residence

The Harvard Graduate School of Education announced two new members of the Judith Block McLaughlin Presidents-in-Residence (PIR) Program. David Harris, president of Union College, and Devorah Lieberman, president emerita of University of La Verne, will join the program for the 2025–26 academic year.

Harris and Lieberman will teach and mentor students in HGSE’s Higher Education Concentration, as well as students in the Online Master's in Education (OEL) higher education pathway, contributing to courses and providing valuable insight based on their long careers as university presidents.

“Dr. Lieberman and Dr. Harris bring extensive experience and exemplary leadership to the [PIR] program,” says Senior Lecturer Francesca Purcell, faculty co-director of OEL. “Dr. Lieberman, renowned for her commitment to inclusive excellence and strategic vision, has significantly enhanced access to education and fostered a culture of innovation throughout her tenure at the University of La Verne. Dr. Harris has been noted for his impactful work at Union College, prioritizing academic excellence and a holistic student experience. As Presidents-in-Residence, both will work closely with HGSE students who are emerging higher education leaders during a pivotal time in the field. We look forward to their mentorship and wisdom.”

Harris became the 19th president of Union College in 2018, ushering in a five-year strategic plan to blend liberal arts and engineering, transcend disciplinary boundaries, and embrace diverse experiences and perspectives for the school’s students in the classroom and beyond. He also launched the Making U Possible initiative to raise funds to ensure that all students can participate in the co-curricular and extracurricular activities that comprise a full Union experience.

Before Union, Harris was chief academic officer at Tufts University, leading the school’s strategic plan and launching Bridging Differences, an initiative encouraging informed discussion around challenging topics. He also spent nearly a decade at Cornell University, first as a professor of sociology and the founding director of the school’s Institute for the Social Sciences, and later as vice provost, deputy provost, and interim provost.

“As a senior administrator at Cornell and Tufts for 13 years, and president of Union College for the past seven years, I have faced many challenges and opportunities,” says Harris. “I welcome the opportunity to serve as a President-in-Residence at the Harvard Graduate School of Education next year, reflecting on my experiences, and helping prepare the next generation of academic administrators.”

Lieberman served as the 18th president of the University of La Verne from 2011 to 2023, the first woman to hold the position in La Verne’s 134-year history. Lieberman retired from the presidency in 2023 after more than 12 years of stewardship which saw the institution’s endowment quadruple, its operational budget double and significant increases in student enrollment and academic programming.

Prior to her presidency at La Verne, Lieberman served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Wagner College in New York. She also worked at Portland State University, focusing on student retention, faculty development, community-based learning and program assessment.

“Following my 12-year successful presidency at the University of La Verne, I am eager and honored to share my knowledge and experiences with the students and faculty as the HGSE Judith Block McLaughlin President-in-Residence for the 2025–26 academic year,” says Lieberman. “Part of our higher education leadership responsibilities include supporting and assisting the upcoming higher education leaders. This position affords me the opportunity to do just this, to continue to give back to others as we together confront, shape, and further higher education for all of America and beyond.”

Presidents-in-Residence attend classes alongside HGSE students, meet with them for one-on-one office hours, and advise them on academic and career designs. They also join residential higher education concentration and online higher education pathway master’s students for discussions about and reflections on leadership in higher education and the contemporary challenges in the field.

The newest pair of presidents joins an illustrious list of more than two dozen higher education institution leaders who have spent time on Appian Way as part of the Presidents-in-Residence program, which was founded in 2001. In 2023, it was permanently endowed and named for its founder and longtime faculty coordinator, Judith Block McLaughlin.